Choice
by CrystalinElf
Summary: A stray thought causes Bakura to reflect on his past, and he faces up to the real reasons he abuses his aibou, and change. Epilog is now up, please rxr, and enjoy
1. Chapter 1: Chosen Decision

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or the song in the song used.

Title: Choice

Author: CrystalinElf

//  //  = yami to hikari

/   / = hikari to yami  ( I know this has been done by many authors, so I'm using it because it seems to be a semi 'standard' in Yu-Gi-Oh! fics).

Song lyrics in *   *  because  I can't get italics to work. Anyone wanna tell me how to? Please?

He stared at the unmoving form curled up on the bed, blanket pulled high to hide the face of the one underneath. Only the slightest whisper of breath told the spirit that his 'aibou' was awake, and conscious of his presence. He lips twitched up in a slight smirk as he contemplated his little one's reaction, and he knew quite well that Ryou expected a beating to be forthcoming. After all, hadn't he given his light a beating every night before this one, or nearly one every night, since he had first emerged from the Millennium Ring? 

He had thought he was about to beat his aibou again tonight, when a stray thought had stopped him. 'When did I become what I used to hate?' had been the thought to cross into the ancient Tomb Robber's mind, unbidden and unexpected. Three millennia ago he had been the frightened child, tortured, betrayed and hated by his own father, an outcast among Egyptian society. Becoming a tomb robber had partly been to spite the people who allowed his life to be miserable, partly so he would be remembered, and part death wish. How he had hated his life… 

*It's the choices that you make, and the ones that you don't, that define what you will be, what you are and what you seek*

Everyone who encountered him in this modern day and age also believed he hated life, and people in general. He didn't though… he had simply needed time to adjust, to learn what the rules where that governed his aibou's world. Bullies had picked on Ryou when Bakura had first gotten out of the Ring, and in a very ancient custom he had tried to toughen up his gentle aibou to protect him, in the only way he himself had ever learned.

Abuse. 

Three thousand years spent in perpetual darkness, at the mercy of Fate and hoping someone would find the bloody Ring had made him promise himself that he wouldn't allow himself to be weak, or controlled by the person who would carry the ring. His wish for freedom had instantly taken precedence over his promise to himself in Egypt that he would never harm anyone like he had been harmed. For a long time, he couldn't remember ever making that promise. 

*All the promises you've kept, and the ones that you break all the things you have bound up are set free*

Despite his automatic reaction to land a blow on Ryou as he hid under the blanket, sheer stubbornness kept his arms crossed over his chest. The Spirit could recall every single beating he himself had received as a child, every jeer and insult, every tear shed. He had hated being so weak, despite the tender age at which the beatings had occurred, though as he got older he was able to successfully bottle all of his emotions in a never filled well. 

He shook his head and closed his eyes, determined to keep those old feelings pent up where they belonged: his past. How unusual this was, for all these old memories and thoughts to suddenly reappear and remind him of how he used to be, what he used to want.

Someone to love, someone to trust.

*Every nexus on the road, every branching path, means a choice you can't refuse, even choosing not to choose*

And here before him was his aibou, his light… someone he had abused for quite awhile now, and why Ryou curled up to minimize the pain, the boy had never really stood up to Bakura to try and stop the beatings. He had often wondered why Ryou did this, while calling his light weak Bakura marveled at his inner strength, his ability to maintain his peaceful nature. 

*For the now becomes the past, you have passed the node and to win can be a different way to lose* 

What would have happened by now if Ryou had let go of his pacifist nature, and struck back at Bakura? Certainly, he wouldn't be the aibou that Bakura had come to know, and slowly to care for. And had he struck back as hard as he could, centering on the Ring, Bakura himself might no longer be around… a prospect that his aibou didn't seem fond of, despite all the pain. 

*It's so hard to see ahead, though behind it is clear, if you'd only known back then, but there is no 'start again'*

A lifetime of pain and suffering, committed sins, and then millennia in that cursed Ring… would he have made the choices he had if the gods had let him know this was where he would end up? Perhaps… perhaps not. 

*You cannot erase the stains on the life you have lead, and the path of now will change the path of when; all the things you can't forget, all the harm that you've done, when you failed to be a friend, when you broke, but did not mend*

Not that it mattered now, he couldn't take back what he had done in the past, and he wasn't even sure he could make up for the pain he had caused Ryou. Should he even try? Wasn't he trying to now, by staying his habitual anger and abuse of the angel that was his partner? Ra knew he didn't deserve Ryou, and that Ryou didn't deserve any of that pain he had received. 

*Can you learn the lesson there, do more than just regret, or deceive yourself with all that you pretend?*

His heart told him that Ryou would, of course, give him another chance whether he deserved one or not. That was just the white haired tenshi's nature, to be loving and forgiving, just like the Pharaoh's hikari. If he could admit the error of his behavior to Ryou.

*It's a spiral helix flow, never twice the same, only once you pass this way, you can never hope to stay*

How he hated to admit that he was wrong about things… this age was just as cruel in ways as his past one had been, but it was also more kind and fair. There was no reason for Ryou to suffer, as Bakura once had, no reason at all. There were plenty of people whose jobs were to protect the innocents of the world, even if many fell through society's cracks. And that was what Bakura should have been doing, protecting his hikari's innocence, rather than trying to force Ryou into the type of person that Bakura had become. 

*Let the chisel carve the stone, form the best that you know, for you scope tomorrow by your choice today*

A slight smile lifted the corner of his mouth as he silently promised to become the guardian that Ryou deserved, to love and care for his aibou… and, by Ra, to show Ryou that he cared!  He nodded decisively, full of a conviction that he didn't know he could possess. 'I'll even stop trying to steal the Pharaoh's puzzle. That should please Aibou,' he though

He moved forward the two feet needed to stand directly by the bed and leaned down to kiss the top of Ryou's head before he returned to his soul room. 

//Don't be so apprehensive Aibou. I won't tell you what it is, but I've made a Choice, and from now on, I'll try to make my actions show you how I truly feel for you, rather than react to your love and kindness with my ingrained habits.//

/…./

// Now go to bed Aibou. You have school tomorrow.//

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

CrystalinElf: *glances around nervously*  did anyone like, or was it awful? I liked it myself, but I know I'm biased… 

Rakka: *brushes unruly hair down as she stretches her wings*  Calm down Crys, if they like it they like, it not, at least you finally got that song out of your head.

*CrystalinElf nods and wonders off to bed*

Rakka: Please leave a review, this was Crystalin's first ficcy. *Bows and head off to bed, stopping a moment to look at the readers once more.*  And thanks for reading ^^


	2. Chapter 2: Perhaps it was a Dream

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 

a.n. italics are thoughts   
/ ... / is thought speech from hikari to yami   
//....// is thought speech from yami to hikari.   
I just call Y. Bakura, Bakura, and Ryou Bakura, Ryou, though Ryou calls his spirit Yami, unless he's   
talking to people other than his yami, during which he calls his yami Bakura like they do. 

**Choice**

By: Crystalin Elf 

Chapter 2: Perhaps it was a Dream 

  
He cracked his eyes open and carefully surveyed the room, not trusting in his memories of the   
night before, before slowing sitting up. With a swiftness born of fear he gathered his   
clothes for the day and ran to the bathroom, hurrying through his morning routine. After another   
quick glance outside the bathroom door to make sure he wouldn't be ambushed, he   
hurried downstairs to the kitchen to see if his Yami would allow him to eat this morning. And   
staring at the table, he felt a shock as great as he had the night before, when he listened to   
Bakura promise to show Ryou his true feelings. 

There on the table sat a bowl of Ryou's favorite cereal, a piece of fruit, an egg, and juice. And   
beside the food sat Ryou's school books, gathered and ready for him to leave this   
morning. A boxed lunch sat on top of his schoolbooks, and the clock placed in front of   
everything told Ryou that he had plenty of time to eat, then walk leisurely to school. Provided of   
course that the clock hadn't been set to an earlier time, to trick Ryou into being late. 

His Yami was the only person at home with him this month, and as such Bakura was the only   
person who could have made him breakfast and lunch. But why? 

_ Perhaps he really meant what he said... or rather, meant what he hinted at. Can he really   
feel something for me besides anger or hate? Dare I hope?_

With an occasional apprehensive glance around the room he allowed himself to eat his food   
slowly, though he stubbornly crushed the rising hope that sprang into his heart at the   
thought of Bakura turning over a new leaf. 

_I know that he can be patient when he wants to be... this could all just be some sort of new   
game to him. No... as much as I want to believe my Yami has changed, I can't. I just... can't. _

Once finished, Ryou set the dishes in the sink and slowly washed them. According to the clock,   
he still had plenty of time to get to school, and some part of him was hoping that Bakura   
would come out and dispel the day's wonderful illusion that the tomb robber was going to   
treat him nicely. If this was all a game to his Yami, Ryou wanted to know immediately, so   
he could stop his heart from hoping that things would remain as quiet as they were this morning. 

_Hope is such a fragile thing... if this is a game to him, I wish he'd crush mine soon. _

He set the dishes on a towel to dry and picked up his books, staring at the lunch. _ Maybe he   
poisoned the food? I never even knew he could cook!_ After a moment he shrugged   
and headed outside, carefully locking the door behind him. He waited a moment to see if   
Bakura would say anything, and when nothing happened he headed on to school. 

He could feel his Yami's presence in the Millennium Ring, lurking at the edges of his consciousness,   
almost protectively. _Protective? Yami? I think I may have finally gone off the deep end today. _ Still,   
he never knew... Bakura was too unpredictable at times for Ryou to know if this were truly a game or   
not. _ Perhaps what I heard last night was an odd dream. Maybe instead, Yami went out, discovered   
some bullies plan to beat me to death or something, and decided to protect me. Enlightened   
Self-Interest can motivated even an evil spirit to act nicely. _

He was jogged out of his thoughts when he bumped into someone, and would have fallen if he hadn't been   
steadied by hands on his shoulders. Finally taking note of his surroundings he noticed Jounouchi   
and Anzu helping Yugi back up from where he had sprawled on the ground when Ryou had bumped into   
him. "Yugi, I'm sorry! Oh my, I haven't been paying a bit of attention to where I was going this morning." 

Yugi brushed himself off and smiled, waving away Ryou's apology, "No problem Ryou, I wasn't hurt. Umm...   
if it won't get you into any trouble, would you like to tell us what has you so distracted?" 

Ryou hesitated for a moment, then followed along side the others as they continued onto the school   
grounds. "Last night my Yami didn't administer any... lessons, like he usually does, and I think I heard him   
say that he would show me how he feels rather than just reacting to me. I'm not sure what he meant, but   
he didn't harrass me this morning, and when I went downstairs to eat, he'd made my breakfast and   
lunch for me." 

"Ya sure the food wasn't poisoned or nothin?" questioned Jounouchi. 

Ryou shook his head. "If he poisoned me, I doubt I'd be walking so pain free to school. And all this   
morning, I just get the feeling that he's... watching over me, protectively." There, he'd said what he'd been   
thinking earlier. He was sure Y.Yugi would be able to tell him something about his Yami's behavior. 

Yugi had a that distant look in his eyes that everyone had come to associate with his conversations to   
Y.Yugi, though he no longer needed to zone out entirely to talk to his other half. After a moment his eyes   
refocused fully on the here and now. "All Yami would say is that Bakura had an awful life in Egypt, and   
that this modern world takes a lot of time to get used to, and that actions speak louder than words." 

Anzu slid the door to their classroom open and turned back to Ryou with a bright smile. "Well Ryou, looks   
like your own acts of friendship may have finally sunk into Bakura's mind," she said cheerfully, before   
entering and taking her usual seat. 

"Just one day, I wish she'd refrain from any and all of her friendship speeches," muttered Jou. 

"That wasn't long enough to be a speech Jou. Now lets get in before the teacher comes and gives us a   
detention!" Honda pushed Jou into the room and to his seat. 

Yugi smiled reassuringly at Ryou and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry Ryou, Yami says we can deal with   
Bakura together if you want, and that if your life is threatened worse than it has been, he'll find a less   
painful way to banish Bakura for you." 

Ryou followed Yugi into the classroom and his own seat, his shy smile looking almost sardonic. "Yes Yugi,   
a less painful way would be appreciated... no one likes having their soul torn in two." 

Yugi looked at him with startled eyes, mouth open to reply as the teacher walked in. Ryou was just as glad   
that Yugi couldn't reply to his words, he wasn't even sure why he had said it. After all, Yami Yugi hadn't   
meant to hurt Ryou, and probably hadn't even known that Ryou would be hurt. Still, those memories   
continued to hurt. 

Ryou zoned out as the teacher began talking about quadratic equations, and he opened his notebook to a   
blank page. Without meaning to, he head sunk closer to his desk as he fell asleep. 

The Ring glowed as Bakura took over his aibou's body, the transition subtle enough that only Yugi really   
noticed. He smirked, knowing that Yugi couldn't question him in class, despite his obvious desire to do   
so. He picked up Ryou's pen and tapped the empty page lightly, pondering, before quickly scribbling   
down a song for Ryou to find when Bakura woke him up again. 

_

I was broken by the power   
I was swallowed by the need  
I was hiding in the corner  
When a voice called to me  
He understood my mystery  
Healed the wounds of my despair  
And with his grace he tenderly  
Brushed the tangles from my hair  


_

I'm feeling better by the hour  
I think I just might be o.k.  
Though bridges burn and ashes shower  
Think I can live with what remains  


As I sorted through the wreckage  
Sitting in my silent fast  
On my bed of hard earned ashes  
Still repenting for my past  
My body ached and shook with anger  
As I walked through narrow gates  
Ans I left those walls behind me  
And with them my mistakes  


I'm feeling better by the hour  
I think I just might be o.k.  
Though bridges burn and ashes shower  
Think I can live with what remains  
  
  
--Ryou,   
hope you like.  
--Bakura 

_He'll be even more confused, but oh well._ Bakura thought, turning the page and taking down neat   
notes for Ryou, since his aibou hadn't yet woken up. School was so boring. 

As the lunch bell rang Ryou started awake, wondering why no one had woken him up when he'd fallen   
asleep. _ Uh oh... Yugi's watching me oddly... I wonder what happened when I fell asleep?_ He got up   
and stretched, hand grazing the lunch that Bakura had made for him. _When did I put this on my   
desk?_ He shook his head to clear his mind, picked up the lunch, and walked over to Yugi. "Mind if I sit   
with you for lunch today?" he asked softly. 

Yugi continued to look at him for a moment, before nodding once and smiling brightly again. "Sure! We're   
eating inside today though, to get a start on our math homework." 

Ryou nodded, shy smile in place. "Sounds fine, thanks!" He sat down between Anzu and Yugi, to prevent   
Jou from 'borrowing' his lunch. _I wonder where he puts everything he eats?_ He opened his   
lunch, half expecting it to be empty, or containing only plain rice, and was suprised to once again be   
confronted with his favorite lunch time foods. _ Oh my..._

He was startled again when his lunch was ripped from his hands by an eager Jounouchi. "Here Ryou, I'll test   
your food to make sure Bakura didn't try to poison ya!" 

Before a single bite got taken out of his lunch though, Anzu wacked Jounouchi on the head with a   
newspaper she had brought with her to school. "Stop acting like a starving mutt Jou-kun, or Kaiba will have   
something else to tease you about." 

"Aww, But I'm just looking out for him, ya know! I wasn't gonna eat it all." Jounouchi protested, trying to   
grab the boxed lunch back from Anzu. 

"So the sniveling pup is actually begging food from it's masters. Nice to know I wasn't wrong about you   
Jounouchi." Kaiba smirked as Jounouchi gave an appropriete snarl of rage, but the rumble of his   
stomach kept in his seat and relatively well behaved. "Ah, go away Kaiba, I don need any of your insults   
right now." 

Another smirk from Kaiba as he sat down with his own lunch, "So, you admit you need my insults then?" 

"Please try to get along you two, or you may scare Ryou from every wanting to eat lunch with us again!"   
Yugi gave them his most sad look, which got an apology from Jounouchi for trying to steal Ryou's   
lunch, and one from Kaiba for making Jounouchi scare Ryou. 

Ryou just laughed along with Anzu and Honda, not caring to make any further comment on the situation.  
But Yugi kept giving him those 'looks', like something had happened that Ryou didn't know, and he   
wanted to ask his friend what that thing was. But not with everyone around... 

"Yugi, could you come with me while I go buy some juice?" he asked softly, hoping no one else would jump   
up to come with them. 

Yugi nodded immediatly and stood. "You want us to bring anything back guys?" A chorus of no's met his   
question and the two left the room, walking slowly to the juice machine at the opening of the cafeteria. 

"What happened to me during class Yugi?" he asked, voice softer than usual incase anyone was listening. 

"I think you fell asleep... and Bakura took over your body. He even took notes in class." Yugi's reply was  
cautious, in case Ryou hadn't really fallen asleep, but been forced into his soul room. 

"I knew I fell asleep, but Bakura taking over does explain why no one woke me up." Ryou contemplated the   
unusual event... Bakura hated school, and had always taken naps whenever Ryou was in class.   
"Thanks for telling me Yugi. I'd better check my notes to make sure he didn't write death threats in them." 

Yugi nodded and got two cans of juice after Ryou fell silent, and trailed after the white haired boy back to   
the others. 

/Yami? Do you think Bakura could really be changing?/   
//I'm not sure Aibou, but if Ryou isn't being hurt, we might as well give Bakura another chance//   
/If you think so Yami, than I will./ 

He waited several minutes after the teacher returned to lunch to look at the notes that Bakura had taken for   
him, and to see what his homework was. None had gotten done at lunch, but he hadn't minded. He was   
suprised by how neat, and accurate, all of his notes where... Bakura had actually paid attention! Then   
he flipped to the first page, where he had left the notebook when he had fallen asleep. 

Shock 

There on his first page was a song, obviously written by Bakura for him. He stared at the song, reading it   
over and over, without paying attention to the passing of time. Before he realized it, the alarm was   
ringing, students getting up and leaving as quickly as he could. He stood and left as well, following the flow   
of people to the gates of the school. For a moment he stood there, watching others leaving the school,   
before finally shaking himself out of his daze and walking home. 

** Ryou's Perspective ** 

_ I walked home in a daze, one thought running in my mind. _ Yami wrote me a song! _ I sit here on my   
couch, not really paying attention to the cartoons that I usually wanted to watch, but hadn't been   
allowed to before. Or rather, Bakura would let the cartoons play, and beat me during the show, and stop  
during the comercials. I'm still in a state of shock, even from the indirect kindness Yami showed me this   
morning. I mean, gathering my books, making breakfast and lunch, and not once saying anything about how   
weak I am? I didn't think anything could be more shocking, but then I fell asleep in class, and Yami took   
over, taking down notes and writing me a song. And now, no beating. _

I really, really, want to believe in what his words implied last night, but can I? The pattern of my relationship   
with Yami just seems so set in stone, eternal and unchangeable... I know he isn't good with saying what   
he feels, and that he is a man of action, both now and in ancient Egypt. I want to believe in the words   
his actions are telling me. 

I'd always assumed that there was some deep seated pain in his heart, and that beating something, namely   
me, was the only way in which he could express that pain. And that is why I endured it all, rather than   
even once fighting back. I thought that if I let him beat me enough, he'd eventually be able to let go of   
that pain, and live in this modern world, accepting the second chance that Fate had given him. 

I want to believe that my wish has been fulfilled, or that Yami has found a new way of dealing with his pain... 

Yet as I sit here in this unusual silence, I can't help but wish that he would come out and talk to me. But he   
hasn't yet, and he refuses to talk to me through our soul-link. I wish I knew what was going on in his   
mind... 

Ah well, he'll tell me when he's ready, or do something else to shock me. I might as well enjoy the silence,   
and the reprieve, while I can. There's really no telling whether or not he's going to change suddenly   
again, and revert back to beating me. 

But it'd be nice to have someone to watch cartoons and eat meals with...   
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

To Be Continued:

Geez, I think I'm better at first person stories than third... anyway, what do you think? Third person   
perspective, first, or like this one which is a mix of the two? 

The song in the first chapter is called 'Choices' sung by Heather Alexander, for the Freedom, Flight, and   
Fantasy cd. The song in this chapter is called uhh... can't remember, but its sung by Mary Black, a celtic   
music artist. 

Crystalin: Thanks for reading minna, and for the wonderful reviews last time! I hope this chapter wasn't to   
bad, compared to the last... 

Rakka: *taps Crys on the head with a rolled up paper* Gain some confidence girl, ya did just fine.   
Remember to enjoy what you're writing or it's guaranteed to suck.   
*looks at readers* Oh, and since she forgot to introduce me, I'm Rakka, her muse. 

*Crystalin nods* Sorry Rakka... now minna, a poll! should this story be yaoi or not? please vote. 


	3. Chapter 3: Bakura Accepts Help

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 

/ …. / Hikari to Yami; // …. // Yami to Hikari 

Choice 

By: Crystalin Elf 

Chapter 3: Bakura Accepts Help 

** Bakura's POV ** 

_I recall that pivotal moment when I stood over Ryou's bed, wondering when I had become   
something I hated. The pattern of easy anger and beatings where the hateful songs to   
which I danced as a child, though in that ancient past I was the one abused, and my father the   
one who administered those painful 'lessons'. I had tried to delude myself back then that if   
I let father vent his anger on me, he might eventually run out of those feelings, and return to   
his supposed role of protector and caregiver. _

He never did run out of his anger, and eventually it claimed his life in some irrational act that got   
him killed by the Pharaohs guards, leaving me an orphan. I was better off then, taken in by   
a thief and taught the skills of a tomb robber. I had promised myself that I would never   
hurt someone the way my father had hurt me, that I would never be as weak as he had   
been. I would deal with my demons alone, without needing to take that pain out on   
someone else. 

I broke that promise of course, the moment I laid eyes on Ryou and hit him, filling his warm   
eyes with tears. He was just like me, before I lost my innocence, but I suppose he had to   
be, right? He is my Hikari, my light, more literally than I thought possible. And I beat him   
for reminding me of how I used to be, taking out my anger on him in a way I had promised   
myself I never would. 

When I stopped hurting him it had been after weeks of reliving those old pains in my dreams,   
nightmares that shifted from father beating me, to me beating Ryou, and one night it finally   
sunk in. I stayed my hand and retreated into the Ring, promising to show him my true   
feelings in the future. Over a month has passed since I made that promise, and I struggle with   
the patterns of behavior I allowed myself to obtain. One day at a time, step by careful   
step; I treat Ryou with all the care he deserves, even though I refuse to talk to him. 

The Ring is a place of darkness, one item that helps to keep the Shadow Games at bay, and I   
had spent a long time in that darkness. When I stepped away from the Ring to confront   
Bakura, I 'saw the light'. I saw *my* light, my Hikari. For a long time I was blinded by   
what I felt, and the things I saw in his eyes. 

It's taken years for me to adjust to Ryou's light, for my eyes and heart to adjust and see   
normally once more. I no longer feel weak and afraid of those things in Ryou's eyes. 

Kindness, concern, caring, and love, a love he was willing to share with me. He's returned me   
to myself, and he makes me whole.  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

With a contented sigh Ryou closed and locked the door behind him and made a straight line for   
the couch, and evening television shows. He flopped silently onto the couch, stretching out   
along its length, head propped up on a pillow, turned the t.v. on. _Nothing good on   
tonight,_ he thought, blinking slowly as he relaxed and became sleepy. _Might as well turn in   
early since my homework is already finished._ Ryou closed his eyes for a moment and   
pushed himself back into a sitting position, then tensed in an automatic fear as he shifted   
slightly to the right another's weight settled next to him. 

"Your father called tonight and left a message… he'll be home tomorrow afternoon and said he   
is bringing a guest." Bakura kept his voice soft, his face turned away from Ryou's. 'Baka,   
you should have just told him through the mind-link, rather than scaring him by coming out   
of the Ring!' 

"O… oh, he is? I wonder who he could be bringing home," Ryou replied, pleased that his voice   
barely shook at all. 

"I don't know who is he is bringing, but I got the guest room ready so you wouldn't have to."   
He shifted slightly and looked at Ryou from the corner of his eyes. "You look tired Ryou." 

Ryou stood slowly and nodded, "I've had a busy day, and was about to go to bed." 

Bakura turned to face Ryou a bit more as he smiled faintly. "I know. I just thought you should   
know." 

"Thank you Yami. I should get the guest room ready…" Ryou trailed off, amazed with himself   
for how calm he was staying in Bakura's presence. _Then again, I was worrying about him   
not talking to me…_

Bakura shook his head slightly, "I've already taken care of everything for you already Ryou, so   
you can rest without worrying about it. I've also left messages at your friend's homes   
about your father coming home, in case you're late for your weekend activities." 

Ryou remained quiet for a moment, and then smiled warmly at Bakura. "Thanks Yami, I really   
appreciate it. I just hope his guest doesn't stay to long, so I can introduce you to him." 

"You… want to introduce us? After all I've done to you?" 

He continued to smile at the incredulous tone of Bakura's voice and nodded. "Yes, after all   
you've done to me… and what you've done for me. This past month you've taken care of   
all the chores here, cooking and cleaning for me, doing the shopping and laundry, and you   
haven't once complained. You even took notes for me once, and you haven't beaten me   
at all this month, or raised your voice to me." 

Before he could talk himself out of doing so he closed what little distance there was between   
them and hugged Bakura, and rested his head against Bakura's shoulder. "It's hard… not   
to act as if I'm going to be beaten when I come home, or stay out late, or do or say any of   
the things that got me in trouble with you before. I've had a long time to get used to being   
hurt by you, for little or no reason." 

After a moment Ryou continued, his voice soft and reflective, "But I know that people can   
change… sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly, but everyone can change. And you've been   
trying, I know… and because I'm your Hikari, I have to believe that you can change, and   
help if I can. If I didn't, I wouldn't be me, so… please, believe in me as well, and let me   
help you." 

He stayed still and waited for Bakura's response, letting time pass without feeling a need to call   
attention back to it. 

After awhile Bakura linked his hands behind Ryou's back, gently returning the hug, trying to   
accept the comfort and support his aibou offered him. 

/ Do you want my to help, Yami? / 

// Can you help? // 

/ Do you **want** me to. / 

// …yes. // 

/ Then I can. / 

// How? // 

/ Anyway you need me too Yami. I have some ideas that might help, but we'll have to work on   
them tomorrow. For the moment… right don't you try sleeping in my room with me tonight?/ 

// ??? // 

/ Hold me while I sleep, get used to being able to touch me, or anyone, without inflicting harm.   
And maybe those dreams of yours won't come back. / 

// … you know about my dreams? // 

/ Your mental powers are stronger than mine Yami. I dream what you dream. / 

Bakura grimaced and loosened his grip on Ryou, pulling back slightly. "Alright Ryou, I'll try   
holding you in your sleep, if you think it'll help." 

Ryou grabbed Bakura's hand before he could change his mind and proceeded to drag the him   
up the stairs. "Get changed into some pajamas while I brush my teeth and change in the   
bathroom, I'll only be a couple of minutes. No going back into the Ring! If you leave in the   
middle of the night I'll wake up." 

Bakura sighed and did as told, and waited for Ryou to get into bed. The promised couple of   
minutes passed and Ryou came into the room, and climbed into bed. Bakura watched him   
for a moment before climbing in as well. 

"Oyasumi nasai, Yami," murmured Ryou, well on his way to already being asleep. 

Bakura wrapped him arms around Ryou like he'd been told to, careful to keep his hold on the   
smaller boy loose. "Good night Ryou." He listened as Ryou's breathing deepened, feeling   
the moment when Ryou fell asleep. 

'I guess this isn't too bad,' he thought, tightening his grip slightly as he moved closer to Ryou.   
'How can he fall asleep with me holding him? How can he find enough trust in me?' He   
sighed and closed his eyes, relaxing despite his unease. Before long, he drifted off into   
sleep as well.  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

_ Tears streamed down the small boys face as the large man holding onto the back of his shirt   
forced him to look into the bowl of water, making him look at himself. _

"It's all your fault you little brat! She died because of you, and you have the nerve to look like her!" 

/ It wasn't your fault, but he didn't care. / 

_ The boy was flung away from the bowl and into a corner, where he curled up into a ball to try   
and protect his more vital organs. His white hair was matted in blood from the cuts on his   
head, pale, gentle and innocent face flushed with fever, some spots darker than others   
where he bruised. _

He cried out softly as the man kicked him over and over again, uttering curses with every blow   
he delivered on the small boy. Then he bent down and grabbed the boy, tossing him onto   
the pallet they used as a bed. Warm brown eyes dared peek out from behind the matted   
hair, and the boy whimpered at the look held in the mans eyes. There wasn't really much   
sanity left there, in those black depths. The woman's death had affected him more deeply   
than he'd say, but the boy couldn't figure why the man wouldn't mourn for her. 

/ Come back to me, away from this memory, this past. / 

_With ragged breath the man jerked the rags that were the boys clothes over his head in one   
swift movement, leaving him shivering and naked on the pallet. His whimpers of pain where   
ignored when the man shoved him down onto his stomach…_

/ Dreams Yami, memories of the past. See? They fade away if you want them too. / 

_And then there was another there, with clean white hair that shined and warm brown eyes,   
standing between the man and boy._

/ See? We can face this together. /  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

He awoke with a start, looking up into Ryou's warm brown eyes as the memory faded away   
like mist. "You woke me up," he stated quietly. 

Ryou smiled and curled back up beside him, one arm laid gently across his chest. "I only let you   
know that I was there for you Yami. You woke yourself up." 

He sighed and shifted slightly so he could place both arms around Ryou again. "Well, thanks for   
being there then." 

"Anytime Yami, whenever you need or want me there. Now go to sleep again… the dreams   
won't come back." 

Bakura drifted back to sleep once more listening to Ryou's breathing. And he was right, the   
dreams didn't come back.  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

To Be Continued: 

Crystalin: Nyaaa! Well, I decided that, even though I like reviews and pleasing people, I'll write   
whatever is most fun to me. Blame Rakka, it was her suggestion. 

Rakka: Aww, what a cute image, Ryou helping Bakura sleep! And shouldn't writers write what   
they think is fun or enjoyable? I refuse to be a muse if writing becomes torturous to Crys! 

Crystalin: So protective… anyway, thanks for reading minna! Please review ^^ 


	4. Chapter 4: The Guest

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 

Author Note: I'm not really sure how old Ryou is, so I'm going to say he's 16, k? Sorry   
this took awhile to put out. Umm… anyone know the name of Ryou's dad?   
Otherwise, I'm calling him… Saionji. 

/ … / Hikari to yami; // … // yami to hikari { …. } phone. 

**Choice **

By: Crystalin Elf 

Chapter 4: The Guest 

_ How often had bullies beaten me up, before Bakura came to me? How often did I find   
myself wishing for a companion who would always be with me, one who could teach   
me how to be strong? Years, really… until I received the Millennium Ring, and I   
stopped wishing. There was no need to keep wasting my hopes on a wish. At that   
time, the very first time I saw him, I was certain that I had finally been granted my wish. _

In a way, I had. 

I was more perceptive than he gave me credit for, that first time he came out of the   
Ring… after being picked on for so many years, seeing the self-doubt and pain in the   
bullies eyes, and knowing my own fear, they were all so easy to see in Bakura's eyes.   
And as I told him, I dream what he dreams, and he happens to dream about his past   
a lot more often than he consciously recalls! 

When I looked into his eyes that first time, despite the anger and fear I saw burning there,   
I saw his soul… while darker than my own is, I knew he used to be like me, kinder   
and gentler. He would dream about his past, and I would know what he'd been   
through… subconsciously, the worse his dreams had been, the worse his 'lessons' to   
me were the next day. 

Through his torturous 'lessons', I learned more than he thinks I did; I became stronger   
than he thought I was. Had I wanted to, I could have defended myself, I could have   
hurt him back. But really, what good would have come of that? He** might** have been   
proud that I was strong enough to fight back, he might have backed down… but I   
doubt it. 

To Bakura, I am a sweet and gentle aibou, one that would never hurt a fly. But I'm   
human as well… I get angry sometimes too, and striking back at someone else would   
be all too easy to do. I don't expect the bullies to learn anything from my pacifism,   
but I realize how many of them are already hurting inside, more than they can   
tolerate. I really couldn't stand causing any of them any more pain than they had   
already experienced. I don't like hurting people, period. 

I especially couldn't stand causing Bakura any more pain than I saw in his eyes, a pain   
that was allowing the darkness of the Ring to eat away at his soul. While he might   
have been proud of me for being able to fight back, I can't help but feel that he   
would have been horrified with himself…In his mind, had I fought back, he would   
have become as terrible as his father… 

And I would have become him. 

He's more relieved that I never fought back than he's willing to admit, even now. I   
survived his lessons, and I remained myself while doing so. He's finding himself   
now, learning to think before he acts, overcoming his automatic reactions. And for   
that I am proud of him. 

I've promised to help him, and I know that I can, if he continues to let me. And somehow,   
I know he will.   
===================================================== 

"Yes… yes… yes…" 

The white haired youth leaned with his back against the wall, one arm folded across his   
chest. He could feel Bakura trying to repress his laughter at his aibou's frustration,   
and a slight smile graced his lips at that. Last night had brought down some sort of   
wall between him and his yami, and he was able to feel what Bakura was feeling   
with greater ease than before. 

Then again, Bakura wasn't shielding him out at the moment either. 

{ Are you sure Ryou, you understand what I want you to get? } Saionji's voice was   
worried, he wanted everything to be perfect… 

"Yes father, I understand what you're asking, it's all very simple. Minako-san wants   
bottled water and Belgian chocolates to be stocked. She's somewhat picky isn't   
Father? No, no, I'm not criticizing her, I've never even met her… Yes Father, I   
understand, first impressions and all…" 

This is ridiculous. For a moment he was tempted to hang up on his father, who was   
prattling on about the woman he had met while on his latest trip. Black hair, blue   
eyes, white skin, and oh so sweet… he shook his head and lightly bit his tongue to   
keep silent. His father was making her out to be a paragon of virtue, caring, kind,   
gentle, patient, and wouldn't Ryou just love to have a mother again? 

/ He's been gone six months, and he suddenly falls in love again? It's way to soon for   
him to be talking about marrying her, and yet he is…of course, I want him to be   
happy, demo…I don't want a woman I don't know to go around telling people she's   
my mother, or mother to be or… whatever! / 

// Calm down Ryou, he's just exited. Now, agree with him that you'll stay home from   
school, and will have lunch ready when they arrive. After all, he isn't making you   
stay for dinner… // 

/ They just want 'private time' I'm sure. / 

// Don't be so bitter Ryou, that's my job. // 

"Hai, Father, I will be home when you and Minako-san arrive, and I will spend the early   
afternoon with you. I know you're excited, but remember you promised I could   
continue on with my normal life, and make time for getting to know her as I see fit.   
Yes, I know you want us to like each other, but don't try and force us to like each   
other, ok? We're people not pets." 

He really was doing a marvelous job staying calm today, despite being asked to miss   
school and having to meet Minako-san. 

{Well, all right son, I'll try to keep my excitement at a manageable level. See you in a   
few hours Ryou. You know, I'm amazed that the cell phone worked so high up…   
anyway, I love you and miss you, and I think I'll be able to stay home for a while   
now. See you soon Ryou.} Saionji's voice had regained its bouncy tone by the end   
of his parting message, and Ryou kept his reply short. 

"Yes, see you soon Father." He sighed as he hung the phone up, quite sure that his father,   
an airhead most of the time, would forget to moderate his behavior with Ryou around. 

// You're tensing up again aibou. // 

/ I know… I can't help myself. Father is being very inconsiderate, bringing someone   
home that he's never talked to me about, or written about, or… or anything! / 

// I believe someone once said that it's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for   
permission. Perhaps he was afraid you'd object to his bringing Minako-san with him   
if you'd known ahead of time. // 

/ He still should have said something. / 

// Yes, but that isn't the current situation. Deal with things as they are Ryou, instead of   
dwelling on how you want them to be. // 

/ ….. / 

// Don't worry Ryou, I've already been to the store and back to obtain her water and  
chocolate. And I brought you some back as well; it's stashed in your room. // 

/ Huh? When did you do that? / 

// …. You were on the phone for an hour Ryou, and he repeated what she wanted at least   
ten times. I went after he told you the second time. // 

/ Gomen, I didn't notice… thank you Yami. / 

// You're welcome; just don't mention me being nice to the Pharaoh. // 

/ All right Yami, I won't. / 

He could see Bakura's answering smirk in his mind, his amusement flavored like crisp   
apples sprinkled lightly with cinnamon, and Ryou felt himself relaxing again. 

/ Now, what should we make for lunch? / 

// Pizza. // 

/ Why pizza? / 

// Because I want pizza, and I refuse to let some idiotic woman dictate what I eat. Err…   
what we eat. Besides, everyone loves pizza, and we can make more than one kind. // 

/ You're right… so, two pepperoni with pineapple, one hot veggie, one fruit, one cold veggie. / 

// Cold veggie? // 

/ Yeah, the crust is kind of cookie like, somewhat sweet, with crisp fresh veggies. Similar   
to the fruit one. / 

// Oh, ok. // 

/ Well, now that lunch is decided, lets go get the ingredients we're missing. / 

The Ring glowed slightly as Bakura appeared beside Ryou, and quickly ushered him out   
of the kitchen and out of the house before Ryou could change his mind. 

// And by the way Aibou, I'll be introducing myself to them this afternoon as well, so lets   
think of something to tell your dad beside the fact that I'm a three thousand year old   
spirit, shall we? //  
===================================================== 

She wasn't very pleased as she smiled politely at not one, but the _two_ boys who stood   
before her, each one smiling pleasantly and looking altogether to similar for her   
comfort. Saionji was keeping an arm around her waist, gently ushering her into the   
room to introduce her to the two before her. 

"Minako dear, this is Ryou and… " Saionji's voice trailed off as he regarded the taller of   
the two boys in confusion, wondering why Ryou had brought a friend over for this   
afternoon, and how he found a friend who looked so much like him. 

"This is Bakura father, surely you remember? He moved in with us right before you left   
for this trip…" Ryou supplied smoothly, despite how nervous he was at lying to his   
father. 

"An honor to make your acquaintance once more sir," added Bakura, extending his hand   
as smiling as pleasantly as he could. 

"Oh… yes… can't believe I forgot." Saionji laughed nervously and shook Bakura's hand,   
"the boy who looks so like my Ryou and has our last name as his first… you were   
very polite and kind to Ryou." 

"In truth sir, he was kind to me. My very first true friend in fact." Bakura replied,   
imitating Ryou's gentler voice near perfectly. 

"And a pleasure to make your acquaintance as well Minako-san," he continued, letting go   
of Saionji's hand and taking Minako's, maintaining that contact only as long as   
Ryou's hastily taught manners demanded. 

"Yes, a pleasure," added Ryou this time, taking his brief turn at shaking the woman's   
hand, and smiling nicely. 

Minako nodded, keeping her own smile firmly in place. "A pleasure indeed, I'm sure.   
Well, lets have lunch now, shall we?" 

Saionji led the way to the dining room, his arm still firmly around Minako's waist. Ryou   
and Bakura trailed slowly after. 

// I don't like her aibou. // 

/ No… I don't either. But lets give her more of chance, ok? I'm sure she's very tired from   
the plane ride, she may be better tomorrow after she's had some rest. / 

// …If you say so Ryou. Good thing we don't have to stay after lunch is over. I don't   
think I can stand being so… sickeningly nice, for much longer. // 

/ Yeah… / 

// What's that supposed to mean?! // 

/ Nothing Bakura… I just like it better when you act naturally. // 

// Oh. //  
===================================================== 

To Be Continued: 

Crys: Nyaaa! Another chapter finished, I'm happy ^^ Thank you for reading. I hope you   
enjoyed enough to review. 

Rakka: hehe, should Bakura banish Minako to the shadow realm while Ryou isn't   
looking? 

Crys: umm… not sure yet whether or not this will be yaoi… I know it doesn't have to be,   
but it could go either way really. 

Rakka: Saionji is really an idiot isn't he? 

Crys: Rakka…. behave… 


	5. Chapter 5: I Won't Let You Leave

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 

  
**Choice **

By: Crystalin Elf 

Chapter 5: I Won't Let You Leave 

  
_Despite my promise to become a nice, nonabusive and nonviolent yami, there are some   
things that I just can't stand, and that damned woman is one of them. What was her   
name again? _

Oh yes, **Minako.**

She's been here a week and already I wish I could kill her and not upset Aibou.   
Everything about her irritates me, from the way she walks to her laugh, to the way   
she **simpers** at Saionji and Ryou. She is graceful, beautiful, articulate, and   
altogether to artificially perfect. 

Some people are all those things naturally, and I don't mind them so much for being what   
Ra made them, but Minako… all those things, and everything that Saionji seems to   
like about her, are fake. Cultivated. And I can tell, after all I spent quite a bit of time   
observing the cultivated and fake ladies at the Pharaoh's palace. She's even more   
sickening then they were. 

And she's lazy damn it! She hasn't done a single useful thing since she arrived. No,   
instead she hired a damned live in maid to cook and clean for her, to do the   
groceries and every little chore around the house. She denies this of course; she says   
it's for **us,** Aibou and me, so that we won't have chores to take up our free time. 

But thank you, Aibou and I did everything on our own for quite awhile, and still had lots   
of free time. 

Bah, she hired the maid to spy on us, I know it! Since the maid is 'live in' she needs a   
room of her own, and Minako gave her the spare room that I was supposed to be in,   
and now I 'share' Aibou's room. That I wouldn't mind, but then there was the need   
to a second bed, and the maid comes in to clean Aibou's room. 

Hence, the maid was sent to spy, because Minako insists that she comes in to 'clean' our   
room, even though Aibou insisted it wasn't necessary, and there really isn't much to   
clean anyway. 

Well, when he was out one evening I set a small spell in his room to keep it dust free.   
Beyond the lack of dust we spend very little time in the room, and so there is rarely   
any mess. When there is it's very small, and I clean is up for Aibou. 

So the only reason the maid has to **ever** come into our room is to put away the clean   
clothes, and that is all. Yet she comes and goes far more often then that single chore   
would make necessary. She's probably been ordered to look for valuables that   
Saionji may have left in Ryou's care, or drugs, or perhaps she hopes to find his   
journal (I absolutely refuse to call the bloody thing a diary. Only weaklings keep diaries). 

I'd bet Minako wants to find something, anything, to give her a reason to insist that   
Saionji send Ryou away, perhaps to a boarding school in England. Evil bitch… I   
can't see how she could possibly have Ryou's best interests at heart, and she   
certainly doesn't have mine at heart. 

I can tell she takes a certain grim pleasure in dragging Ryou and I shopping with her,   
more than Anzu, Mai, or Shizuka gets from doing the same thing. Those three are   
our friends, and like to spend time with us, while Minako is just Saionji's girlfriend.   
She hasn't 'bonded' with us like Saionji suggested, she's only made us spend several   
hours at fancy and expensive clothing stores, salons, and spas, places where she's   
already made a lot of rich, boring friends. 

And Ryou tolerates it all without a single complaint. 

Bah, what do I expect? He put up with **me** without any complaint, so how can I expect   
him to do any less with her? But he's miserable! And she is obviously taking   
pleasure in making him feel that way. If it wouldn't upset him so I'd steal her soul,   
or maybe Mind Crush her… maybe if I sent her to the Shadow Realm for awhile   
she'd leave Aibou and me alone. 

But I draw the line with her modern day torture here. I will tolerate certain things for my   
Aibou, but not much more at all. And if she even whispers the suggestion that Ryou   
be sent away to school, she will have no place to hide from my wrath, and Saionji   
will discover what I really am. 

This is where Aibou belongs, and I won't let anyone take him away from them, or me. 

Especially her.   
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

He was laying belly down on the bed, head pillowed in his arms as he watched the maid   
attempting to move about the room quietly. She was 'cleaning' again, taking her   
feather duster to invisible and nonexistent specks of dust while casting furtive   
glances into every nook and cranny of the room. She left his side of the room alone   
for the most part, since he was pretending to be asleep. 

The first time Ooshige had tried 'cleaning' near Bakura's bed he'd sprung up, grabbed   
her wrist, and flung her to the bed, frightening the wits out of her. He'd apologized   
of course, so Ryou wouldn't be upset with him, and simply requested that she not   
get so close to him while he was sleeping. She'd agreed and scurried out of the room   
like a rat almost as fast as he could blink. He'd smirked at her retreating back before   
plopping himself back down on the bed again, to wait for Ryou to return. 

Which he was doing again this time, only he knew now to keep an eye on the maid so she   
didn't try to walk off with anything that she shouldn't be touching. In his mind that   
meant she shouldn't be touching anything in this room, but since Ryou would get in   
trouble if he ordered her out, he held his tongue and tolerated her presence. 

// Aibou, when will you be home? // he called plaintively through their link. 

/ I'm on my way now. Why? / 

// The maid is annoying me again. // 

/ I'll run faster. / 

He wanted to growl in frustration at the amused tone of Ryou's voice and refrained.   
  
Doing so would have alarmed the maid, and probably pleased Minako in some   
  
perverse manner. Still, he shifted on the bed to make some noise, before rolling   
over   
and onto his feet in a single swift motion. 

However, he did get to smirk at the flash of fear that crossed the maid's face, before   
deliberately turning his attention to the clock hanging above the door. 

"Well, looks like it's just about time for Ryou to be getting home…" he said, turning his   
back on her and walking out of the room. "Though, I bet he'd like a snack." He   
made it sound as though he were talking to himself, but the words had the desired   
effect. Within seconds the maid had dashed past time and down the stairs. 

With her out of their room he followed down at a more leisurely pace, making it   
downstairs in time to open the front door for Ryou, just as he ran up to the door. 

"Welcome home Ryou, Ooshige-san is making you a snack," He greeted, offering a   
warm smile to his hikari. 

Ryou nodded his thanks with an answering smile, and they headed to the kitchen   
together. Bakura's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight before him. Ooshige was   
puttering around making the snacks, and Minako and Saionji were sitting at the table   
looking over brochures. 

Brochures of boarding schools. 

Boarding schools that happened to be in England.   
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Ryou sat still on the bed, watching as Bakura lifted the dresser and placed it in front of   
the bedroom door, effectively sealing Saionji and Minako out. He spared a few   
moments to admire his yami's strength. Bakura had always been   
**_strong_**, but Ryou didn't think he could usually pick up dresser full   
of clothes and move it around. 

"What the hell are you smiling about Ryou?" Bakura demanded, turning back around to   
glare at his light. 

Ryou flinched but kept smiling. "I'm just proud of you Yami. I can feel how angry you   
are at them, but all you've done barricade us in our room, instead of banishing to the   
shadow realm, stealing their souls, driving them insane, or taking the kitchen knives to them." 

Bakura shook his head, most of his anger receding. "I have to look out for you Aibou,   
and three unexplained murders, or three suddenly insane adults, would get you in a   
lot of trouble with the authorities." 

He walked over and flopped down onto Ryou's bed, bouncing the lighter boy as he did   
so. "But if they don't stop thinking about this, I **_will _** do something   
to convince them that this is the wrong course of action. I refuse to let you be sent away." 

Ryou smiled slightly but said nothing in return. After a moment they both shifted so they   
could lay down, drifting off to a comfortable sleep.   
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

To Be Continued: 

Crys: Sorry this was shorter than the other chapters *looks sad* 

Rakka: *sighs and pats Crys on the head* It wasn't that much shorter, so calm down. 

Crys: …ok! Nyaaa! Poor Ryou… 

Rakka: *looks confused* Poor Ryou? Why? 

Crys: *giggles softly, eyes wide and innocent* You'll find out next time Rakka. 

Rakka: Damn it Crys, I'm your muse! I should know now! 

Crys: Thanks for reading minna, please review. Gonna start writing the next chappy… I   
shall try and have it out before thanksgiving, since I'll be heading out of town… 

Rakka: You're leaving Tuesday Crys, you know you don't write that fast. 

Crys: ……………… meanie!!! Now I really won't tell you what the next chapter is   
about! Or if it'll be yaoi. Nyaaa! Bad Rakka! 

Rakka: *sigh* *mutters: she already decided against yaoi for this one, so Bakura could   
give love advice like Callie/Mikey suggested… can't she make up her mind?* 


	6. Chapter 6: She Remains

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 

_ Rakka: Heh. I told her she would post late. Did she listen? Noooo… _

Crys: Shut. Up. Now. Gloating meanie. And the mentioned archeological dig was   
really all I remembered from a recent Discovery Channel program. I was half   
asleep, so I don't remember much. Sorry minna. 

** Choice **

By: Crystalin Elf 

Chapter 6: She Remains 

_ When the phone rang I was tempted to answer it, seeing as how we have a phone in our   
room, and the annoying monstrosity would have woken Ryou up after a few rings.   
When the phone suddenly stopped making noise after only two seconds, I didn't   
think anything of it. Less noise was better, right? _

Usually I would be right in that assumption, at least with Minako-baka and Ooshige   
around. Less noise usually meant that they had gone on to bed, and Ryou and I   
would be left alone if we decided to leave this room for awhile. 

My excellent hearing picked up Saionji's voice from downstairs. He'd picked up the   
phone closest to the stairs, so listening in to his part of the conversation was child's   
play, so to speak. 

And I don't feel like repeating the nuances of the conversation, so I won't, but the gist of   
things was that a flight out to Egypt had been arranged, and Saionji was expected   
to be on it in three hours. 

Joy. 

I mean, he was supposed to spend several months this time at home, and now he was   
being called away again on yet another archeological dig, something about golden   
mummies in an unexpected area, of a previously unexciting part of late Egyptian   
history. Yeah, sounds real interesting and vague, I know. 

He would be leaving without saying goodbye to Ryou, which pissed me off again. I mean,   
I heard him order Ooshige to pack what he needed, and I'm sure he gave her a list,   
and then he spent some 'quality time' with Minako. I refuse to think about that, even   
though I know what they were doing. 

What an asshole my poor Hikari has as a father. Saionji didn't even say goodbye this   
time, and I'm sure he left all the money with Minako. The bitch wasn't going with   
him, no, she was staying here to 'get to know the boys better,' she said. 

Get to know us better? After looking at pamphlets of boarding schools, and having her   
spy look through our things? Like hell she wants to get to know us better! I'm   
certain she just wants to see what info she can get out of us, to manipulate us into   
doing whatever she wants! 

Well, she can certainly try, but that onna-baka is no match for me! Muhahaha! What   
chance does a twenty-eight year old human woman stand against a three thousand   
year old Spirit in a battle of wills? Still, I'll have to be careful in dealing with her.   
Can't have her going insane or anything from the pranks I plan to pull on her and   
Ooshige, and I can't have Ryou getting caught in any of them… 

I think I need some new Duel Monsters cards. Wonder what the Pharaoh can 'loan' me…   
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

By sheer effort of will he kept his strained and polite smile plastered on his face, a smile   
that was terribly fake to anyone who bothered to look at him. 

Except Minako. 

She either believed his smile was sincere, or simply chose to accept things at face value,   
not caring to look beneath the surface of any situation. At the moment he couldn't   
venture a guess at which option was the correct one, but he dearly wanted this   
ordeal to be over. 

_Where is Yami?_ He wondered morosely, feeling a bit resentful that his dark side   
had left him alone to be dragged shopping to a designer clothes store with Minako,   
who was choosing clothes for him that happened to a pink bright enough to make   
even Anzu blanche. 

"Oh Ryou-kun, isn't this scarf just **darling**?" She held up a feathery pink boa to   
him, wrapping it slightly around his neck. 

"Pink really isn't my color Minako-san…" Ryou replied weakly, carefully taking the boa   
from her and replacing it on the rack. 

She sighed in disappointment and _pouted_ at him, her voice a plaintive whine to   
his ears. "Oh _come on_ Ryou, you haven't like a single thing I've tried to   
pick out for you! What's wrong with a rose scarf or shirt or dress? And why won't   
you call me Mina-chan like I asked you too?" 

He stared at her incredulously, wondering just how dense she was. "Minako-_san_,   
please. I don't call you Mina-chan because you are older than me, and still a virtual   
stranger to me! I've known you less than a month, how can you honestly expect me   
to act like we're best friends? And just why in the world do assume that I   
_like_ pink clothing, much less _bright_ pink _dresses_?" 

She smiled her most charming smile and answered as sweetly as she could. "I'm not   
really that much older than you Ryou, and I do expect that I will stop being a   
stranger very soon… don't you think so? Saionji and I are getting along   
exceptionally well. And as for the dress and the pink clothes… they'd be so   
adorable on you! I'm sure Bakura would appreciate that." 

He was certain he should have been blushing a deep crimson color at what she was   
implying, but after a few calming breathes he found himself free of blush. What a   
preposterous idea she had in her head! 

Ryou gave her his best impression of Bakura's murderous glare. "I'd thank you to keep   
such ideas and notions to yourself Minako-san. I'm quite certain the only reason   
Bakura would even think of putting me in a bright pink dress would be to embarrass   
me, and give him yet another to tease me about." 

She looked startled for a moment before smiling slyly and shaking her head slightly. "Oh,   
poor Ryou… incapable of seeing something so clearly in front of your face… he   
simply _adores_ you, you know." 

// Of course I do, the nitwit. You're my Hikari, why do I need to find someone else to   
adore when you'll do just fine? It's an inefficient waste of time. // 

Ryou had to choke down the laughter at his yami's acerbic mental voice, shaking his   
head and turning his back on Minako. "I've had quite enough of shopping Minako-san.   
I need to head home and finish my English paper." 

He left the store, ignoring her yells of protest and sharing in his yami's amusement at the   
strange stares she was receiving from the other customers at the store. As he turned   
the corner and headed to the food court he was certain he saw the manager of the   
store making his way to Minako. 

// I hope she gets banned from the store. Evil woman… // 

/ Where have you been all day Yami? I think leaving me with her for so long was crueler   
than any of the beatings you could have given me. / 

There was a pause before Bakura answered, his mental tone contrite. 

// I'm sorry Aibou; I was out getting new Duel Monsters cards. // 

/ Whatever for? / 

He grinned at the sudden laughter that flooded his mind from Bakura while he waited in   
line for a hamburger from Nc'Donalds. 

// Oh, nothing too bad Aibou… just a better variety of cards, for certain… mischief, with   
Minako-baka, if she gets too annoying. // 

/ She has already gotten 'too annoying' Yami-kun… those embarrassing things she   
implied… as though she had a right to poke into my personal life! / 

// … // 

/ Yami? / 

// …………. // 

-------------------------------------------------------------- 

/ Yami, are you mad at me? / 

Ryou's voice sounded worried again and he sighed, frustrated and slightly annoyed at his   
Aibou for being so, so… He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, smiling   
wistfully. 

// You're right Aibou, she had no right to poke into your personal life. // 

And she hadn't. Maybe Ryou would let him steal her soul now, just until Saionji returned. 

/ You are upset with me. / He should have told Ryou that he wasn't to begin with, only that he was annoyed with   
Minako, and a bit upset with himself for taking so long to sort through the cards he   
wanted to buy. He knew he should have been with Ryou to help fend of the moronic   
woman's poor fashion sense. 

// I'm not upset with you Ryou. // 

/ Yes you are. / 

Why was Ryou being so persistent about this? His emotions weren't leaking at all. Was   
that the problem? He relaxed his shields a bit and tried to project reassurance at his   
Aibou. 

// No, I'm not angry with you Ryou. // 

/ Demo… / 

Tried and failed, apparently. 

// Damn it Ryou, I'm not upset! Now drop it! // 

Bakura flinched at how sharp his voice was and silently berated himself for speaking   
harshly to Ryou. He could picture the way his little Hikari would cringe ever so   
slightly at his harsh tone, and imagined how much worse his reaction would have   
been if Bakura had been standing beside him. 

Some wounds still weren't fully healed. 

/ ….Ok Yami. / 

Bakura sighed again and closed his eyes, retreating back into the Ring. He almost smiled   
at Ryou's surprise. 

// Aibou, I can return to the Ring whenever I choose, even if I'm far away from you. I just   
generally choose not to do so. And I'm not angry with you, just… frustrated in   
general. I'm sorry I took it out on you and snapped at you. // 

A lengthier reply and explanation than he had planned on making, but Ryou deserved as   
honest an answer as he could give. He knew his Aibou wouldn't appreciate some of   
the real reasons behind his frustration… 

/ Oh. / 

// But you know, she'll find you here eventually. Since the line here is so long, why don't   
you head to the bathroom so I can come back out without freaking out any of the   
weaklings here? // 

He smiled as he felt the upward shift of Ryou's emotions, and a few minutes later he was   
following his Aibou out of the men's bathroom. He'd garnished a few stares from   
some of the men there, since they'd come out of the same stall, but who cared?   
Ryou didn't seem to mind, and was more focused on the fact that he no longer had   
to face Minako alone when she found him and tried to drag him to yet another store. 

"I'll go get us a seat aibou, why don't you order us something to eat before we head back   
to work on your English paper?" Bakura suggested. 

As Ryou nodded his consent and headed off towards the Nc'Donalds again Bakura   
scanned the area, and picked the most secluded spot he could find for them to eat.   
The task wasn't too difficult, since most people seemed to avoid sitting underneath   
the trees, where the benches and tables seemed to be a part of the closest tree.   
Bakura found it relaxing though, and picked the one with the darkest corner for him   
to sit in, and waited for Ryou to return. 

The wait wasn't as long as he expected, and in five minutes Ryou was back with   
cheeseburgers, French fries, and chocolate shakes. Bakura grinned at the   
exasperated look on Ryou's face as he took a seat beside his yami. 

"Yami, did we have to sit back here? It's so dark." Ryou complained. 

"All the better to avoid the evil one my Aibou." He answered calmly, knowing that Ryou   
wouldn't protest to his choice of seating after being reminded of Minako. 

"Well, alright…" 

He smiled again and patted Ryou's shoulder comfortingly. "If it'll make you feel better   
Aibou, we can get your work and go over to Yugi's. I'm sure he hasn't finished his   
paper yet either, and would probably love your help. Then we can sneak into the   
house through your bedroom window." 

"Why the window Yami?" Ryou asked, confused and slightly nervous. Bakura was   
grinning far to much for his comfort. 

"Well, after I bought the new cards I set them on your desk, and then moved the dresser   
in front of the door again. The only way in is through the window now." 

Ryou sighed and turned his attention to his food, a slight smile tugging at his lips. 

Bakura was incorrigible.  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Crys: Well, some slight Ryou angst… I'm not really good at writing angst. 

Rakka: Crys, you cruel girl… you're gonna have Bakura *mmph!!* 

Crys: *smiles innocently as she places a hand on Rakka's mouth.* Now now Rakka,   
don't give it away! Be nice and I may even add you into the story. 

Rakka: Heaven help me…. 

Crys: Thank you for reading, and please review. Oh, and Nc'Donalds was a fast food   
place in Hikaru No Go. Guess they didn't like stepping on copyright toes either, ne? 

**Mini-Dictionary:**   
  
**Onna **- woman  
**Baka**- stupid/idiot/etc  
**Hikaru No Go** - an anime/manga series Crys adores.   
**San **- an honorific usually given to people older than you or strangers.   
**Kun **- honorific usually given to boys of equal or younger years  
**Chan** - honorific usually given to girls or equal or younger years, and occasionally with   
boys you have a crush on (I think). 


	7. Chapter 7: Of Love and Mayhem

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 

**Credit: To Callie/Mikey** for suggesting that Bakura give advice on Ryou's love life. Which   
means folks, this isn't a Yaoi. Or at least, it isn't a Ryou/Bakura yaoi. 

Crys: Should Bakura find a love interest as well? Yaoi/non? Yu-Gi-Oh character or not? 

Rakka: One morning I stepped outside my apartment door, to find a groundhog sitting on the   
steps to the bottom apartments, eating, of all things, bologna. I want to know who the hell   
would have a groundhog as a pet in an apartment complex, and feed the damn thing bologna??? 

Crys: Calm down Rakka… 

** Choice **

By: Crystalin Elf 

Chapter 7: Of Love and Mayhem 

_ Aibou used to ask me if I believed in love at first sight, and I would invariably tell him   
'no'. How can you love someone that you know absolutely nothing about? Love at   
first sight was something that never made sense to me, so I always wrote it off as   
'lust at first sight,' or infatuation when I was in a generous mood. _

Politely ignore the fact that I **loved** aibou when I first saw him, even though I confused   
that emotion with hate. I hated anything, any emotion, that I felt   
made me weak. I still don't **like** things that make me weak, but I've learned that   
emotions can make one just as strong as they can make one weak. 

Just depends on the person who has those emotions. And how could I not love him? But   
spiritual love, and the instant romantic love he's thinking of, are two very different things. 

I wondered why he asked me such questions… did he want to know if there was someone   
I was in love with? Did he have a crush on someone, and was trying to discreetly   
ask for my advice? At the time I wasn't sure, but I should have asked him what his   
intentions were. 

He'd been spending a lot of time away from the house, with a friend he said, but not any   
friend that I knew. I could tell he hoped I wouldn't press him for details, so I didn't.   
I simply reminded him that if he got in trouble I was only a mind-call away, and he   
went out again. 

Out with his new friend. 

As it turned out his new friend was a girl, and one I knew. Or at least, one I had met before. 

Once. 

I'd woken early one morning and gone downstairs to check the mail, since the mailman   
had been running early for about a week. As I opened the door and looked around   
outside, the first thing I saw was a brown furry creature, sitting one foot away from   
me on the lowest step. 

The thing simply regarded me with curious brown eyes, giving no signs of being alarmed   
by my sudden appearance. I stared at it for several minutes before the creatures   
name floated into my mind, with some vague memory of a documentary on similar   
type creatures. 

Groundhog. 

Well, that sure as hell wasn't something I expected to see. A groundhog, sitting calmly   
on our front steps, almost as if it expected to be let inside. 

And then she came running up to the front steps as well. 

She came from one of the houses across the street, black hair around down to the waist   
that flowed gently behind her as she jogged over to our home. Up close she had   
pale skin, flawless from what I could see, and bright blue eyes that shined with a   
strong enough sincerity and love I could almost believe she was a Millennium Item   
holder, and a hikari. 

"Oh Kishu, there you are! Why did you run off like that when I let you out to play?" 

Her voice was musical, and well trained, pitched perfectly to catch my attention and that   
of the groundhog before be. Kishu, as the groundhog was named, turned away from   
me at the sound of her voice, and waddled out to her. She scooped it up into her   
arms and turned a dazzling smile on me. 

"I thank you for not trying to get rid of him of something. Most people look askance of a   
groundhog as someone's pet." 

"Hnn?" A sleepy Ryou appeared in behind me, peeking around to see who was at our   
door so early in the morning. 

/ Yami? Who is this? / 

// Don't know Aibou, but her groundhog was paying us a visit. His name is Kishu // 

/ Groundhog? What an odd thing to have as a pet… / 

"Oh, hello! Are you two brothers?" The question was inevitable, everyone asked it. 

"No, we're not even related. Just roommates and good friends." My reply sounded a bit   
harsh, but I didn't want this girl asking to many questions. And of course, Aibou   
just had to invite her in. 

"My name is Ryou, and this is Bakura. Why don't you come in for awhile? You're friend   
seems quite well behaved." 

She gave her own name as she accepted Ryou's invitation, and the two seemed to retreat   
into a world all their own. 

Do I believe in love at first sight? I didn't, until Ryou and Rei met. For a month now   
they've spent most of their time together, and she even goes to his school. I get stuck   
staying at home, or when I'm really bored, I go bother the Pharaoh. 

Well, I'll leave Aibou to his romance. From what I've seen she's a good person, so why not… 

But if she hurts him, I'll include her in the… fun, I have planned for Minako. 

Starts today.  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Bakura laid face down on his bed, watching his Hikari watching Rei as she slept. She'd been   
asleep for over an hour, after eating the dinner Ryou had made for their one-month   
anniversary. Ryou didn't seem to mind in the least that she was sleeping, but Bakura found it   
annoying. 

He had to be quiet, or risk getting scolded by his Light. He sighed softly and turned onto his   
side, facing the wall. Ryou was always sweet, but with Rei he seemed sickeningly sweet   
and caring. His patience and new found self discipline were sorely being tried here. 

/ Isn't she so cute when she's asleep Yami? And of course, she's cute when she's awake, and   
angry, and happy, and // 

// Yes Aibou, your Rei is cute. She is cute all the time, so there is no need to tell me every   
instance in which she is sweet. // 

Laughter echoed down their link, crisp and sweet like Bakura's favorite apple. 

/ I know, I know, it's just… I can't help myself! / 

// I know aibou. // 

/ It irritates you doesn't it? / 

He could tell his aibou was looking at him now, and not Rei, his expression probably slightly sad. 

But only slightly. His Aibou was never **really **sad, or sad for an extended period of time, now that Rei was in his life.   


// No aibou, I'm glad to see you so happy. But I… had plans for today, which I had to put off   
because she was here. // 

/ What plans? / 

// Nothing you need to concern yourself with Ryou. // 

/ …I'm sorry. I should be more considerate… I should have asked if you had plans. / 

// That would have been nice Aibou. // 

/ I'm sorry… / 

His reply was delayed as Rei woke up, stretching wide and grinning happily. She immediately   
glomped onto Ryou and snuggled against him. "Happy Anniversary Ryou!" 

"Happy Anniversary Rei-chan." 

He didn't think Ryou's voice could be any happier, and wished he could disappear into the   
Ring right then._ I probably could too, the way those two are wrapped up in each   
other…they wouldn't notice my being gone at all. I… might as well not even be here. _

Bakura got off the bed and left the room, making his way downstairs with his newest Duel   
Cards in hand. Well, if Ryou was too wrapped up in Rei to notice his darker half, Bakura   
would use that to his advantage, and see what mischief he could cause Minako. 

  
_Hmm… think I'll summon a Dark Gray into the house. It'll hide, and probably scare the   
shit out of Minako and Ooshige when they catch glances of it. _He laughed softly while   
pulling out the Dark Gray card, and in moments it was darting from corner to corner   
around the room, looking for a good hiding spot. He set a small magical barrier to insure that it   
wouldn't to upstairs and bother his Aibou before making his way to the couch and the television. 

Time to site back and wait for Minako and Ooshige to find his little helper.   
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

A large crash followed by shouted cuss words brought Ryou out of the private little world that   
had claimed him when he looked into Rei's eyes, and he glanced warily at the door. Rei   
was pulling back away from him and also looking at the door. 

"Ryou? Who was that shouting?" she asked. 

"Sounded like Ooshige-san and Minako-san." He replied, knowing perfectly well that it wasn't   
Bakura. 

/ Yami, what's going on down there? / 

// Nothing aibou. // 

/ Don't say nothing, Rei and I heard a loud crash and shouting. / 

// Shook you out of your private world did we? // 

/ We? / 

// Nothing, nothing. Minako-san just seems to have taken exception to my having a… pet, indoors. // 

/ …. / 

"Maybe we should go down and see what's happening." He suggested softly, hesitant to take   
Rei down to face what Bakura would consider a pet. 

She nodded her agreement. "We should, someone could be hurt." 

Slowly they made their way downstairs, and stopped at the bottom to stare around at the   
mayhem that greeted them. 

Bakura stood within sight, looking perfectly innocent. 

Ooshige was slumped on the ground, unconscious. 

Minako was chasing a fast moving gray shape, brandishing a broom. 

"What…?" Rei asked faintly, shocked. 

// Say it's a very fast dog Aibou. // 

"Looks like Bakura got a dog… a fast one. Minako doesn't like animals…" He hated lying to   
Rei, but he didn't think she'd take knowing that Bakura had unleashed a Duel Monster in   
their house very well. 

"Oh." She shook her head and stepped forward again hesitantly. "Well, I should be going   
home… but if you want, I can help you catch your dog, and clean up." 

Ryou shook his head and walked to the front door. "No, you have a club meeting early and  
should go on to bed. Thank you for offering though." 

She turned and kissed him gently on the lips, before walking out the door he held open for her.  
"You're so sweet and considerate Ryou." 

Ryou stood in the doorway, watching her until she entered her house, before turning back to  
survey the damage Bakura had caused. His eyes widened in shock once more. 

The damage that had faced him a few minutes before was mostly gone, and Bakura was   
carrying Ooshige over to lay her on the couch. Minako was still pacing around, looking into any   
dark place she could find. 

/ What was that Bakura, and why did you do it? / 

// The Dark Gray, and to freak her out, why else? She was planning on going upstairs and   
inviting you to watch movies with her. // 

/ …….. / 

// No harm done Aibou, and everything is clean again. // 

/ How? / 

// Modified a magic card, don't ask more than that cause I can't really explain it. Too much  
instinct involved. // 

/ Alright Bakura, I won't ask. / 

He shook his head and went back upstairs, not sure whether he should be amused or upset with  
his yami.   
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Bakura sighed as he watched his hikari go back upstairs. He really hadn't caused that much   
trouble, and he would simply tell Minako that he had given his 'dog' away when she asked   
what happened to it, and the same to Rei. 

He'd certainly upset Minako as much as he could have hoped for without causing Ryou any real   
trouble, but he didn't feel any better. 

As he caught a last glance at his Hikari's retreating back before Ryou entered their bedroom he   
felt a sudden emptiness in his heart. He retreated back into the Ring while no one was watching.  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Ryou stared up at the ceiling, one hand behind his head and one hand placed gently on the Ring.   
He jumped slightly as he felt his yami entering the confines of the Ring, and wondered   
absurdly if he'd been too harsh on the ancient spirit. 

_Too harsh? Ryou, he let loose a Dark Gray to terrorize people, and what would you have   
said or done if Rei had gotten a good look at it? You can't really explain away   
horns and wings on what is supposed to be a dog. _

And he hadn't really yelled at his yami for doing it either, he'd simply left the room. 

_Everything will be fine in the morning. _

He smiled, purposely turning his thoughts away from that part of the evening's events and   
toward the prospect of seeing Rei the next day. With that pleasant thought, he drifted off to   
sleep.  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Crys: Thank you for reading, and please review to tell me what you think. Another prank next   
chapter, I promise! An yes Callie/Mikey, I put your story on my favs list ^^ 

Rakka: Please vote on whether or not Bakura should fall in love, and with who if he does. 

Crys: What mischief can I get them into next? *mischivous giggle* 

Rakka: Help.... 


	8. Chapter 8: Mischief and Doubts

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Dearly wish the manga was released in America. 

**Choice **

By: CrystalinElf 

Chapter 8: Mischief and Doubts 

_ Ooshige was fine after her encounter with the Dark Gray, even though she passed out in   
the kitchen floor and got stepped on by Minako. I've decided to exclude her from   
most of my mischief, since she is so faint hearted, there is little fun to be had in her   
very brief moments of terror. _

Hey, I'm even being nice about her being a pathetic weakling! 

Minako, however, has only begun to see the tip of the iceberg in what I'm willing to   
bring to bare against her. The Dark Gray was shy, and what I have summoned since   
then are… nice, Anzu like creatures. Who could possibly be afraid of the Petite   
Dragon and the Petite Angel? They're disgustingly cute and cuddly, and such nice,   
friendly monsters. 

Ryou has spent most of this week, except school and sleeping it seems, with Rei. At her   
house, not ours, so I've had most of a week all to myself, to cause mischief for   
Minako. Not that I've done too much, really. Don't want to do anything that would   
make it necessary for Ryou to live at Rei's, or one of his other friend's home, right? 

But I've finally found a reason to justify the existence of all those cute Duel Monsters,   
including the afore mentioned Petite Dragon and Petite Angel. Oh, and the Kuribo.   
Minako is far easier to scare than I would have thought possible, to be afraid of   
those monsters. But I've taken that as an advantage, and every other day or so I   
turn a new cute monster, one that won't cause much structural damage to the   
house, loose in the living room. 

Ooshige just always seems to know when something is going on, and stays out of the   
house at these times, but Minako isn't graced with such a supernatural sense. No, she   
walks into things every single time, and the result is always the same. 

She stops in place. 

Her eyes get wide. 

She screams. 

And screams. 

Then gets a broom and chases the cute monsters around the room. 

Brilliant woman, right? Go around the house, chasing something that scares you. **And   
with a pathetic broom at that!** She hasn't noticed that I always clean up after her,   
or that the monsters always appear when I'm around, and she and I are alone in the house. 

Pathetic isn't she? 

And somehow she always manages to convince herself that what she's seen isn't real. I   
suppose that's because I always act like I didn't see the monsters running before   
her, and they've never once touched her. On some level she must know that this is   
all my doing, since she had her computer moved to our room and told me I could do   
whatever I wanted with it. Hentai, bet she expects me to look at porn doesn't she?   
Or on some level of consciousness she thinks that if I'm in my room, and not   
downstairs, the monsters won't appear. 

Heh. How wrong she is. 

Today is Saturday, and I'm particularly bored. Playing Arcanum by myself isn't quite   
enough fun to negate the fact that Ryou is out with Rei again, and Minako wants me   
to stay up here alone. As if that would do her any good… 

As I kill yet another boring skeleton (did I mention that I hexed my game, so my   
character stats are maxed, and I've just started the game?) I get an idea for my next   
monster. 

The 13th Grave.  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Screams of terror greeted his ears as he slowly opened the door and walked inside. He felt his   
heart sink lower with dread. The sound obviously meant that Yami was up to something   
again, and from the pitch of Minako's voice, he was pretty certain that Bakura hadn't   
called one of the nicer monsters this time. _He should video her reactions…_

He stepped to the side of the doorway, slipping his shoes off, as the noise grew louder. A few   
seconds later Minako was streaking past him and out the door, face twisted in her fright   
and as white as could possibly be. 

Ryou sighed and entered the living room to see what had upset her so, not really expecting any   
big surprise. After a moment, he too stopped and stared, looking carefully around the room. 

There was nothing there. 

_What the…_

/ Yami? / 

// Yes Aibou? // 

/ Umm… did you summon another monster a little bit ago? Minako just ran past me, screaming in terror. / 

// Of course Aibou. // 

He sighed again at the nonchalant tone of his yami's voice and wondered just which monster he   
had summoned. 

/ Which one Yami? / 

// We can talk about that later aibou. You seem upset, so I want to know what happened while   
you were over at Rei's // 

Ryou sighed again, louder this time, and made his way upstairs. He was surprised to find   
Bakura playing a computer game, or rather, pausing a computer game so he could talk to his   
Hikari. _He plays computer games? I didn't think he even knew how to use the computer..._

Bakura studied his light for moment for speaking. "Come on Hikari, out with it. You're leaking   
annoyance and a bit of sorrow, which seems quite unlike you." 

Ryou smiled slightly and shook his head. "It's nothing, really Yami." 

He snatched a pillow from his bed and through it and Ryou, knocking his light backwards and   
onto the other bed. "Ryou, you will tell me. If I have to draw my own conclusions you   
won't like the consequences to her." 

Ryou pushed himself back into a sitting position and stared unbelieving at his yami. "The   
consequences to her? What would you do?" 

Bakura smirked, contemplating the wealth of things he could do to Rei. "For doing anything that   
might hurt my Aibou? Steal her soul, lock her in the shadow realm, unleash a monster on   
her, send her to the grave yard, mind crush her, or any number of other… unpleasant, things." 

Ryou shook his head, trying to push the seriousness in Bakura's tone out of his mind. "Yami,   
really, she didn't do anything to hurt me." 

"Then what's bothering you Aibou?" He asked, moving from his spot in front of the computer   
to sit by his Hikari. 

Ryou sighed mentally. _He's persistent…_ "Nothing much Yami… Rei just likes to duel. Well,   
she likes to duel a lot, really. We duel several times every evening, and she always takes it   
so seriously, more so than Yami Yugi, and it isn't all that fun. And she always wins." 

The last was said in a bare whisper, but Bakura had no problem picking up what his hikari said.  
"Every time?" he asked, studying Ryou's profile. 

"Every time. And she gloats, even though she doesn't mean to." 

"Hnn…" 

He could tell his Yami found the situation at least a bit amusing and smiled a bit. Dueling made   
Rei happy, so he would continue to duel her, even if he continued to lose. "As I said, it's   
nothing really. And she is very good at dueling, so I'm getting some great practice and my   
skills **are** improving." 

"But it still bothers you." Bakura stated, contemplating his hikari's small dilemma. _Well, not as   
bad as I feared._

"Yeah, it still bothers me some. She's kinda bossy when she wants to duel, or when she wants   
to watch certain anime series." _Her dueling intensity and her choice of anime is so conflicting…_

Bakura lifted a dignified eyebrow, imitating the Pharaoh when he was questioning **_his_** aibou.   
"So what does she like to watch?" 

"Pita Ten." Ryou stated the answer as colorlessly as he could, considering the _cuteness_ of the   
twenty-six episode series. "And she likes to watch the entire series at once." 

"You're girlfriend is weird Ryou," he said, shaking his head. The sheer incongruity of the girls   
behavior was astounding. She protected Ryou from bullies as well as Bakura himself now did,   
she dueled with an intense passion for the game, and she chose to watch _Pita Ten? _

Of course, she did seem soft spoken, polite, and cloyingly sweet when she was at their home.   
_Guess Ryou really brings out her soft side most of the time._ He shook his head again   
and fixed Ryou with a stern look. 

"Aibou, if you don't want to duel with her every evening, tell her so. The same goes for the   
shows you two watch together. If she still insists on dueling, invite her to more activities   
where the rest of your friends are. Jounouchi can always use someone knew to kick his   
ass besides Kaiba, Yugi, and the damned Pharaoh." 

"Demo…" Ryou said, looking uncertain. 

"But what Aibou? Afraid she'll like one of your friends better than you if she hangs with them?"   
Bakura grinned as his aibou stared guiltily down at the ground, silently confirming his guess. 

Still, he no longer enjoyed seeing his hikari down, so he placed a gentle arm around his   
shoulders and gave Ryou a small hug. "Looks like I'll have to help you build up some   
self-confidence aibou. If she falls for one of them instead of you Ryou, then she isn't really worth   
your time." 

He ruffled Ryou's hair slightly, messing it up. "Besides Ryou, they're your friends, the people   
least likely to do something they knew would hurt you." 

Ryou mustered up a watery smile and nodded, "You're right, my friends wouldn't hurt me." 

"So you'll invite her next time?" he asked, smiling encouragingly. 

Ryou's smile brightened into a more genuine one and he nodded. "Yes, I will." 

Bakura grinned now and patted Ryou on the back. "Good! Now, want me to go with you?" 

"Only if you don't cause trouble!" Ryou said, looking away from Bakura so his yami couldn't see his grin. 

"Why you!" Bakura grabbed a pillow and whacked him with it lightly. "Of course I won't cause trouble." 

He paused for a moment, considering. 

Then, "Define 'causing trouble'". 

"Yami!" Ryou tried to glare Bakura, and failing miserably he grabbed a matching pillow and   
proceeded to hit him with it, taking up the challenge of a pillow fight, his transient fears and   
annoyances forgotten.   
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Crys: Thank you for reading, and I'm sorry it took a bit of awhile to get out. *bows in apology* 

Rakka: Erm, yes, Rei was _kinda_, but not entirely, based on the character from Callie/Mikey's   
charater 'Callie' in their story 'The New Adventure'. 

Crys: yes yes, I didn't ask permission first, so I didn't make her entirely like Callie. But since   
they didn't seem to mind, I added more personality to her. Hehe 

Rakka: we do not own Pita Ten, and we actually like the series. 

Crys: I know it was suggested that Bakura fall for another yami, but I was thinking… 

Rakka: You're in a mean mood aren't you Crys? 

Crys: What? I was only thinking of making his fall for Ryou, and possibly making Rei fall for   
Bakura. That's not mean. After all, Master Wren for Lady Lark, and hid his love behind a   
fatherly mask, so why couldn't Bakura hide his love by acting brotherly and protective? 

Rakka: *mutters* I shouldn't have let her read that book… especially after she had so much sugar… 

Crys: *giggles softly to herself* 'The Lark and the Wren' is a lovely book! My idea is valid! It is, it is!!! 

Rakka: *Clamps a hand over Crys' mouth and smiles faintly at the readers* Thanks for reading,   
please review. I may make a guest appearance later, but no promises. Now, it's 1:17 am   
and Crystalin should be getting to bed. Thanks again! 


	9. Chapter 9: The Beginnings of Goodbye

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 

Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. I was persuaded to go back to my hometown for the holidays, which meant no time to write or post anything. 

The Thirteenth Grave is a Zombie card from the LOB set, atk 1200 def 900, and depicts a skeleton carrying… well, I'm not sure what he carries but the caption at the bottom says "A zombie that suddenly appeared from plot #13 - an empty grave." 

  
** Choice **

By: CrystalinElf 

Chapter 9: The Beginnings of Goodbye 

  
_ Her eyes were so apologetic when she told me… so full of sorrow that I couldn't bring   
myself to be angry over the situation, and a brighter blue than usual as they   
glittered with unshed tears. _

"I'm sorry Ryou, but I think it's best if we broke up now, and went back to being   
friends…I just can't settle for a long distance relationship." Her voice was softer than   
usual, a bare whisper really, and I accepted her words with a smile, and a hug, and   
reassurance. 

I understood, of course. Her family was moving back to America, and her father will be   
working for a company in Hawaii. And relationships were hard enough to maintain   
without adding that distance between us. At least I know she won't be all alone   
there. 

She has friends there waiting for her, so she won't be lonely. But she says she'll miss me,   
and I know I'll miss her. She's a great friend, and a beautiful girl… I honestly don't   
believe that she'll be 'alone' for long, even though she cares about me. She's to   
good to be alone, and I just know that she'll find someone new, and forget her romantic   
feelings towards me. 

Somehow, that just doesn't make me as sad as I believe it should. I know that I'll miss   
Rei, but… 

Oh Ra, she's leaving and hardly feel sad at all! Not like I've lost a girlfriend, or a   
significant other…nor do I even feel as sad as I would if it were Yugi, Anzu, Jou, or   
Honda who were leaving. But, aren't she and I close friends? Shouldn't I feel worse than   
I do? 

What's wrong with me then? Why I don't I feel more of a sense of loss than I do? 

She's leaving in three days, and most of her things are already packed, a good chunk of   
her family's possessions sent ahead. Anzu suggested that we throw Rei a going   
away party, and I let her plan one since she was so instant. I can't quite bring myself to   
get involved in the planning, beyond picking her out a gift and telling Anzu what   
her favorite foods are. 

Bakura has been amazingly silent on the subject, so I guess he's letting me deal with   
things on my own, or until I ask for his help. And silently gloating, of course. Father   
came home yesterday and broke up with Minako, and she actually managed to move out by   
this morning. 

Guess she didn't like long distance relationships either, and found someone to spend her   
time with when she went out. And she had lots of free time, with Ooshige taking   
care of the house, and Bakura and I refusing to spend any time with her. Father   
didn't actually seem to upset, so I guess he fell out of lust with her while he was   
away. 

There certainly wasn't any real love between those two, and I don't want to think to   
closely about the relationship they shared…Bakura would definitely laugh at my shyness   
of that area, but I just don't want to think of my father as having an intimate life.   
Nope, don't want to think about that at all. 

I suppose I should go and find a present for Rei now…  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Bakura leaned against a wall, watching his aibou wrapping up a box of duel monster cards in   
Pita Ten wrapping paper. _Still an odd combo…_

// Aibou? Are you sure you want to give her cards? // 

/ Yes Yami, this is fine. She loves dueling, after all… // 

// Well, alright. // 

He lapsed back into silence, contemplating the unexpected sense of calm that radiated from his   
hikari. He'd anticipated more sorrow and tears from Ryou, and had expected to be called   
upon to comfort his aibou. Ryou's easy acceptance of the breakup with Rei, and the girls   
impending move to another country, confounded the ancient Spirit more than almost   
anything else could. _And I won't think about those very few things that could baffle me   
more._

He could, however, surprise his Hikari. "Ryou? When you're done with that, could you wrap   
my going away present as well?" 

"You got her a present?" Ryou's voice was every bit as surprised as Bakura could have hoped,   
and he suppressed his smile as he nodded gravely. 

"Well, of course I did aibou. Do you think I shouldn't have?" He asked curiously, wondering   
what Ryou's answer would be. 

Ryou raised his hands up, negating the thought. "No, I think it's really nice that you got Rei a   
gift… I just didn't expect it, and I'm sure she wouldn't have either." He smiled, pleased   
that his yami was being so thoughtful. 

"Well then, at least it'll be a pleasant surprise." Bakura stated calmly. 

"Yami… what kind of _un_pleasent surprise were you planning?" Ryou asked, a little nervous at   
Bakura's statement. 

"I would be very unhappy if she hurt you aibou." He smiled slightly, "but I wouldn't have done   
anything to terrible Aibou… just scared her a bit." 

Ryou watched him for a moment then relaxed and nodded, accepting the answer at face value. Pushing his   
yami further for a more elaborate answer wouldn't have done much good if Bakura didn't   
want to tell, and Ryou wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know what his yami would have   
planned. 

"I know it probably seems off Yami, but I don't really mind at all. I know that I _should_ be   
upset, but I'm not. I don't feel as close to her as a did a month ago…" Ryou mused, speaking   
the things he had been thinking earlier. 

"Oh?" Could one word really pack so many questions? 

"I can't explain it well Yami… but after I stopped being afraid of losing her to my friends, she   
became more of a friend, and less of a 'significant other'. I'll still miss her, but not as much   
as I would have before." He sighed, the answer sounding pathetic and banal when spoken. 

Bakura shrugged and tossed a small box at his hikari, and continued the conversation as Ryou   
caught the box and set it down on some wrapping paper. "You're a perceptive individual   
Ryou. Perhaps you unconsciously began letting go of her when she fit in with your friends.   
I can't really venture to much of an opinion, I've never fallen in love or been interested in   
girls." 

"Why would I do that?" Ryou opened the box and peeked hesitantly inside to see what Bakura   
had picked out for Rei. He smiled slightly at the contents. _All Pita Ten stuff… image cd,   
first OST, the entire series, and manga… definitely not something I would have   
expected him to do._

He closed the box and taped it shut before proceeding to wrap the box up, adding a pretty bow   
and some ribbons beside the gift tag. "Interesting choice Yami… though she probably   
won't believe you bought her the Pita Ten stuff. She'll think we mislabeled the gifts." 

Bakura shrugged and smirked slightly. "I know, that's why I picked it out." 

Ryou looked at him incredulously before shaking his head. "I should have known…" 

The spirit laughed softly. "Yes Aibou, you should have. And now, shall we head to the party   
and wish our friend well?" 

/ Our friend, Yami? / 

// Ryou, she was a good friend to you, so I'll consider her one as well. Just don't tell her, ok. // 

/ Of course not Yami, of course not. /  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Crys: To Be Continued, and yes I know this is a dreadfully short chapter. But I promised to   
post by tonight, and I wanted to write the party and goodbye to Rei seen separately… 

Rakka: Actually, she's just tired and wants to go to bed. 

Crys: Rakka! Don't say such things! 

Rakka: * murmurs * Of course Crys, whatever you say Crys… 

Crys: * sigh * Honestly, I was just having a hard time keeping her in things… and keeping   
Bakura out-of-love with Ryou. waaaaaaa! 

Rakka: Oh Ra… why did I have to be your muse? STOP WHINING CRYS! Do it later, an in   
private. 

Crys: * whisper * Yes Rakka, whatever you say Rakka. 

Rakka: And stop mimicking me. However, nice readers, we're starting a new story soon, as of   
yet untitled, where a yami disappears after 'doing it' with their hikari. This was partly   
based on someone's author notes, though I can't remember whose, and Hikaru No Go, where   
Sai disappeared in ep 61, and the final two episodes of Pita Ten. 

Crys: We're taking votes on which yami/hikari pair it should be, possible titles, and whether or   
not the ending should be happy. I.e., whether or not the yami in question would return to   
life somehow by the end of the story. One shot if unhappy, more than one chapter if it's a   
happy ending. 

Rakka: Please vote minna, and leave a nice little review ^_^ 


	10. Chapter 10: Surprising Saionji

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! And why, oh why, do we need to put disclaimers on   
every damn chapter? 

Authors Note: Sorry minna, for taking so long to get this out. I've had far to many   
visitors lately * sigh* Thanks to Callie/Mikey for being my beta reader! ^_^ 

** Choice **

By: Crystalin Elf 

Chapter 10: Surprising Saionji 

  
_ I would have given eternal thanks and gratitude to Ra for removing Minako, Ooshige,   
and Rei from my life, had he not chosen to sent Saionji back home again a few days   
after those three went away. I don't hate the blasted man, seeing as he is my hikari's   
father, and my hikari would be very upset with me if I hated his father, but I can't   
help find him very…annoying. _

To say the least. 

After Rei's going away party, (everyone was surprised that I had got her a present, and   
more surprised that it was a **harmless** gift), I was able to spend four nice,   
quiet days with my hikari. We played games, watched a movie, went for nice long   
walks together, and basically did such sappy activities as that. 

And everyone knows I hate sappy things. 

But with Ryou at my side, the sappy moments didn't feel so suffocating or wrong. With   
Ryou, everything felt right. 

Well, he is my light after all, so what did I expect? Of **course** I feel better when I   
get to spend time with him! As long as I don't examine things too closely… 

And now Saionji is back, and has been for three weeks. He ignores me entirely, and   
spends almost every waking moment with Ryou. If we didn't 'share' a bedroom for   
appearances sake, then I would never get to see my hikari these days. And staying   
in my soul room all the time is to boring. 

I make breakfast for them every morning, but only those things that Ryou likes best. I also   
take care of the rest of the day-to-day chores, so he can spend as much time with his   
father as he wants to. I haven't had to bother with their lunch or dinner yet,   
because Saionji seems determined to take Ryou to every restaurant in town. 

They've watched at least one movie at the theatre every single day. He's also dragged my   
hikari to the museum three times, spending most of those three days there, even   
though the exhibits didn't change and they covered everything in the first tour. And   
they have spent several hours a week at the mall. Saionji insists Ryou needs new   
clothes, and has been trying to pick them out for him. 

Not pink, gratefully. I think Saionji knows I'll burn anything pink that's brought into the   
house, though he's hinted that Ryou would be cute in pink. He's lucky he only   
hinted, or I would have been… 'forced', into delivering to him the same treatment   
that Minako-baka received. And that would have been a regrettable course of   
action, since summoning monsters from the Shadow Realm to terrorize Saionji   
would have really pissed Ryou off. 

A nice thought to contemplate though, when I'm stuck by myself and bored. And since   
Saionji is the one keeping me from spending time with my Ryou, thinking of ways to   
torment him is more entertaining than thinking of ways to torment the Pharaoh. Of   
course, I don't intend on letting things continue this way for much longer…No, once   
Ryou and Saionji com home tonight, I'll do something that my Ryou has been   
asking me to do for months. 

Materialize in front of Saionji. 

…and just when did I start calling my hikari 'my Ryou?' 

Ah damn it.   
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Ryou continued to smile politely as he listened to his father drone on about the first   
archeological dig he was ever allowed to participate in, while staring with a single-minded   
determination out the window. He had given his fathers experiences his whole  
hearted attention, for the first five times the story had been told, but on this six rendition,   
and more embellished version, his attention had disappeared after the first thirty minutes had passed. 

He tugged gently at the millennium ring, pondering the warm metal to help pass the rest   
of the ride home. The warmth meant that Bakura was in his soul room, which was   
extremely unusual these days. _The last time was… when? The brief time he was   
in there, when Minako had dragged me to the mall. Right. When he rescued me   
from her and her pink scarf fixation. _

He cringed slightly, remembering every single piece of clothing that Minako had tried to   
make him buy, and how she had pouted at him each time her had refused. He had   
been exceedingly glad when Bakura had decided to join him at the mall so he would   
have a nice, perfectly logical reason to ditch Minako and return home. Climbing in   
through the window had been fun, especially when Bakura had slipped his arms   
around Ryou's waist to help the smaller boy through the window… 

He was smiling for real now, rather than being polite… most thoughts of his darker half   
brought a smile to Ryou's face these days. He'd even found the pranks Bakura had   
pulled on Minako to be amusing, though he hadn't condoned the acts. Rei would   
have been upset… 

Rei. He had been surprised that she had still wanted to see him after running into one of   
Bakura's monsters, and had been more surprised when she had correctly deducted   
that Bakura had been responsible for the creature. _It's not as if he'd actually   
done or said anything unusual around her. _ Well, things had worked out in his   
favor, since she had moved away, and neither was missing the other. _How could   
I ever have loved Rei? Did I ever, really? No… no, I don't think I ever really loved   
her. I was attracted to her, for a few days, but that was all really. It faded once I   
started to know her, and then she became my friend. I'm amazed that I was   
**ever** afraid of 'losing' her to one of my other friends. I'm so grateful   
Bakura was there for me. _

And she was a bit eccentric, though he would never say so aloud. He hadn't understood   
her love of duel monsters and fighting, mingled with a love of Pita Ten and shoujo   
manga. It was definitely an odd combination, one that Bakura had remarked upon   
several times, though only through their mind link. _I hardly saw him then…like   
I've hardly seen him for the past three weeks… he's being amazingly patient. _

"…kura." 

Ryou's eyes widen as his attention returned to his father, as he realized that his father had   
finally started talking about something else. 

"Pardon?" he asked softly, hoping Saionji would repeat himself. 

"Your attention is drifting Ryou. I asked if you were worried about Bakura spending so   
much time alone." Saionji didn't take his eyes off the road, but the slight tilt of his   
head indicated his interest. 

Ryou sighed and wondered what had precipitated this particular question. "Bakura is   
quite capable of taking care of himself father." 

"Is that so… then you don't think he's done anything **unusual** sine we've been   
gone? Minako mentioned some off happenings while she stayed with you," Saionji   
said, as he pulled the car into the driveway. 

"Bakura spent most of the duration of Minako's visit in our room Father, so she wouldn't   
try to drag him clothes shopping ever few hours. Oh, and speaking of her, just why   
did you suddenly ask Minako to leave?" Ryou asked sharply, watching his father carefully. 

"I'd rather not go into any details about Minako's leaving, son, but a… reliable source   
told me that I shouldn't trust her as much as I had, and offered proof of her   
untrustworthiness," Saionji said, his voice nervous, and almost pleading with Ryou   
not to ask more questions about the unlamented Minako. 

Ryou didn't say anything else, and the rest of the ride passed by in silence. When his   
father pulled the car into the drive and parked, he hopped out with speaking and   
made his way to the door. He was inside the house and halfway to the stairs when   
Saionji called out to him. 

"Ryou, stop! Come back here and talk." Saionji ordered. 

// Yes Ryou, be good and stop. // 

So Ryou stopped, turning about to face his father and listening to Bakura's laughter in his   
mind. He was still tugging absently at the Millennium Ring, wondering what else   
his father was going to say, and what Bakura was up to. His father was watching   
him with a peculiar look. 

"Ryou… did you know that your Ring is glowing?" Saionji's voice was worried, but at   
the moment Ryou didn't particularly care. 

"Oh, is it? It does that from time to time. Now, why don't you tell me just what you   
suspect Bakura of having done while we've been out?" He was proud of himself for   
keeping his voice steady, and uncharacteristically cold. 

"Well, nothing really, of course, I just heard some… unusual reports from Minako while   
she was still here with you." 

Saionji's voice was even more worried now, and Ryou held back a smile as Bakura   
laughed even more in his mind. 

// lalala // 

/ Bakura? What are you planning now? / 

// Worried? // 

/ Should I be? / 

// Noooo, not at all! // 

The glow from the Ring intensified, then dissipated abruptly. Saionji's eyes widened as   
he stared at his son, then at Bakura. The spirit smirked and slipped his arms around   
Ryou's waist, deciding to maximize Saionji's shock. 

"What," he asked mockingly, "never seen an ancient Spirit manifest before?" He stared   
on in silence as Saionji fainted.  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

/ That really wasn't the nicest thing for you to do Yami. / 

// But Ryou, you said you wanted him to know about me! // 

/ …. / 

// …. // 

/ I know I did, but you could have told me before you appeared! I could have told him   
about you first, and **then** have you appear before them. / 

// That wouldn't have been nearly as much fun. // 

/ It would have been more practical, and then we wouldn't have had to drag father to the   
couch and left him onto it. / 

// We could have taken him to his room. // 

/ I bloody well don't think so! / 

// hahahaha!!! // 

/ And on another note, Yami, why did you put your arms around me when you came out   
of the Ring? / 

// Because I felt like it of course. You didn't like it? // 

/ No, I… I liked it just fine. I only wondered because you've never done so before. / 

// I did it because I like holding you hikari. The added shock to your father was a bonus.// 

A soft groan caught their attention, and they looked back at the couch. Saionji was sitting   
up, holding on hand to the back of his head, and watching the two cautiously.   
Bakura moved behind Ryou again and once more slipped his arms around his   
hikari's waist. No one said anything for a moment, then Saionji cleared his throat. 

"Well… that was unexpected," Saionji said hesitantly. "So, the legend was true, and there   
**is** a spirit that exists within the Millennium Ring." 

"I'm existing outside of the Ring quite nicely, thank you," Bakura stated, eyes Saionji   
suspiciously. 

"Ah, well, yes I can see that." Saionji fidgeted on the couch, gazing at Bakura   
appraisingly. 

"Father, you do realize I won't give up the Ring don't you?" Ryou asked softly. 

"Oh, of course, I wouldn't expect you too! But you could both come into the office with   
me… visit for a little while?" His voice was expectant, and almost demanding. 

// Ha! Told you he'd want to turn me into one of his 'discoveries'! But I won't let anyone   
take me away from you. // 

/ Glad to hear it. / 

Ryou sighed softly at his father's attitude and shook his head, leaning back into Bakura.   
"No Father. We won't come in, and Bakura won't manifest for anyone else. We   
only showed you because I love you, and I wanted you to know the truth about Bakura." 

"But… Ryou, he's the discovery of a lifetime! I could make the history books, get a very   
large pay raise, maybe even be made head of the department!" He was standing   
now, and moved closer to his son. 

"No. Absolutely not father. He's a part of me, and I won't give him up to further your   
career," Ryou said, tone firm and resolute. _He's spent most of my life away from   
home, 'advancing' his career. He doesn't need a pay raise, or a higher position,   
and I'm not letting him take something precious away from me so he can get those   
things! And spending several days with me, doing nonstop 'father-son' activities   
together can't possibly make up for not being home more than a single month out of   
the entire year. _

Bakura was grinning maniacally, his eyes glittering brightly. "I'm so honored, really, that   
you two are fighting over me, but don't expect that to mean anything. I will not be   
separated from my Hikari." 

He tightened his hold on Ryou and made a show of smelling his hikari's hair. "Here's the   
thing, Saionji. Ryou is the person destined to possess the Millennium Ring, and be   
my partner. My light. See, without him, I'm quite a bloodthirsty little bastard. Dark.   
You wouldn't want me running amok around your precious colleagues now would   
you? I consider reaping chaos, death and destruction among you poor mortals to be   
one of the most enjoyable of pastimes, and I have lots of practice. Though you   
should know, I never did anything to harm that idiotic Minako. She wasn't worth   
the effort." 

/ …maybe you shouldn't have said that Yami… / 

Saionji was backing away from them with wide eyes, his motions slow. He looked as   
though he was afraid that Bakura was a viscous animal, about to attack him. 

// Your fathers obviously a weakling hikari. I practically told him I'd be behaved as long   
as I have you with me. // 

/ But I'm not always with you Yami. / 

// Course you are, all I have to do is go back into the Ring. // 

/ Oh, right. / 

// Too late though, he's already out the door. // 

Ryou jumped slightly as the front door slammed shut behind his father's retreating back,   
and he couldn't help but laugh softly. "Yami, you're a bad influence on me. I   
shouldn't find that funny." 

"You should find it funny, because it **is** funny. He'll be back though, and we can   
tell him I was joking to see how he'd react. Or we could give him the Pharaoh…" 

Ryou shifted until he was facing Bakura and smiled. "No Yami." 

The Spirit sighed dramatically, but was smiling as well. "Well then, shall we go upstairs   
and talk?" 

Ryou tilted his head slightly and nodded. "Yes, why don't we?"  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Crys: To be Continued, and our most sincere apologies for this taking so long to write. 

Rakka: I like Crys' in laws, except when they come visit. And they've been visiting a lot!   
And are gonna visit more! I think I'm going to go insane. 

Crys: * looks innocently at Rakka * …go insane Rakka? I thought you already were. 

Rakka: * sighs and shakes her head * Some people might think so, since I agreed to be   
your muse and help out, but your family is definitely the catalyst for my insanity. 

Crys: awww poor Rakka… well, I still love you anyway! 

Rakka: That's reassuring Crys, even though I know you love most people, with a few   
notable exceptions. 

Crys: * clamps a hand over Rakka's mouth * Rakka, you promised never, ever to   
mention those two. 

Rakka: * mutters 'Sorry Crys.' * 


	11. Chapter 11: Contemplations

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 

Author Notes: thanks go to Callie/Mikey (read her stories ^_^) for being my beta reader.   
* GLOMPS Callie/Mikey * 

** Choice **

By: Crystalin Elf 

Chapter 11: Contemplations 

  
* * Bakura's P.O.V. * *

I would never have guess that my hikari possessed such a stubborn streak, although   
perhaps I should have. Saionji has accepted a permanent job position here in   
Domino, and is no longer trying to obsessively control Ryou's time. Of course, I   
suspect that his new position is so that he can keep an eye on me, and perhaps find a   
way of convincing Ryou to let me be a 'wondrous archeological discovery' for him.   
I'd wondered how many times we have to tell him no before he'll listen? 

Ryou wouldn't let me use any persuasive measures on him. 

I've denied Saionji's request twenty-eight times so far, and Ryou has refused his request   
twenty-one times. He quit asking Ryou if he could 'borrow' me when I asked him if   
he wanted to be able to borrow me. A few deliberate phone calls to Marik, which I   
made sure Saionji overhead, convinced him quickly enough that he shouldn't bother   
my Hikari with such idiotic questions. 

You know, being evil really has its advantages at times. Or at least, having everyone   
**think** I'm evil does have value. Really, I'm not that evil. I'm not! Really! 

The kinder, gentler Bakura does not do evil things. Misunderstood acts of mischief, yes, I   
do that, but I don't do evil things. That's why I'm not obsessive about my hikari…   
or possessive. 

Really. 

Or at least I don't in my own, supremely unbiased opinion. Even Ryou will say I don't,   
since I'm a kinder, more gentle Bakura! But… what my hikari knows generally   
won't hurt him, and if it will, well… whatever **'it'** is won't be around long enough to   
testify or exact any sort of payment from my Ryou. Mwahahahahahah! 

And that wasn't an evil laugh. **Honestly**, I promise. 

But you know, there **is** a fun part to Saionji's obsession. Subsequently, after all those   
staged 'phone conversations' with Marik, I now have the idiotic bastard known as   
Saionji convinced that I and Marik have caused almost every war or violent conflict   
that has occurred throughout human history. And finally, finally, he's stopped   
asking me to visit the office with him. 

And the peasants rejoice. Yay. 

I'd still like to spend more time with Ryou than I get to, but at least things are better now.   
If I want to endure his friends, I can spend even more time with my Hikari. I could   
have even more of his time if I were willing to endure Saionji's presence even more   
than I do now. More time with Saionji… oh, the horror… 

But I keep reminding myself that things could always be much worse, and I spend time   
with Ryou's friend, and more time with his father. Because they could always be   
here, taking more of my Ryou's time away from me. Yes, I remind myself to be   
thankful that Minako, Ooshige, and Rei are gone. They're gone, they're gone, thank   
Ra they're gone! 

Now if Saionji could just find himself a girlfriend that wouldn't want to spend time with   
either of us, and if all of Ryou's friends would hurry up and decide that group dates   
aren't the best thing in the world… I would be very happy indeed. Life would be so   
much simpler, and I could spend as much time with my Ryou as I wanted. 

And damn it, why am I still calling him 'my Ryou'? I definitely sound like I'm obsessed…   
I don't own him, and it isn't as though we're dating or anything. He's not in love   
with me, and I'm not in love with him. 

No. Of course not, absolutely not… Just because I want to be loved by him, doesn't mean   
I want him to love me that way. Right? Just because I think of him all the time   
doesn't mean I'm in love with him. It doesn't. Just because I dream of holding him,   
and kissing him, and touching him, and doing **couply** things with him doesn't mean that I… 

That I… 

Oh. 

**Shit.**   
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Bakura glared balefully at the monster on the screen, uncaring that the creature was   
totally unaffected by his animosity toward it. 

"Just you wait, in a couple of more levels, I'll be back for you! And a few more after that,   
and your entire race will be in danger!" he said, forced to wait impatiently while the   
sever reloaded his data and sent him back to the city. 

This was the third time he'd been killed by a member of the orc race, and he wasn't   
happy about it. Did the damn things really have to attack him while he was waiting   
for his hit points to regenerate? He was certain that they did it just to mock him, and   
conveniently ignored how stupid that theory sounded. 

The computer was lucky it hadn't been broken yet, as frustrated as he was with the many   
times he'd died. It just wasn't fair, he thought, as his character regenerated at the   
Kelethin bank. He was playing to distract himself from his earlier thoughts, with   
very little success. Each failure seemed like a personal affront, despite that currently   
almost all the aggro monsters were at a much higher level than his ranger. _They're   
killing me on purpose! _

_Bet Ryou wouldn't die_, he thought, glaring mutinously at the other players on the screen,   
hoping that he would run by one of their corpses some day. He hated getting killed,   
especially since he kept getting lost, and was almost at the level where he would no   
longer be able to maintain his items when he respawned. _This really isn't fair. _

Bakura had found playing Arcanum to be infinitely too easy (after a few modifications,   
of course), and so had chosen this one as an alternative for stress relief, but it wasn't   
working one bit. He'd also chosen this game, instead of some other one, because   
Ryou had promised to get a second account and play with him… 

On his own, Bakura really didn't have the patience for online game that he couldn't cheat   
at. 

_What in the world does he see in this game anyway_, he wondered, giving up now that he   
was back in town. He sat down and selected the 'camp' command, and waited to be   
logged off. For a moment, he contemplated deleting his character and shutting off   
his account. Why pay a monthly fee for something he was so awful at? 

But Ryou had promised to play with him… 

He shook his head and exited the game fully before shutting the system down, then stood   
and stretched. Ryou was already home, he knew, and waiting for him to come   
downstairs. 

// Welcome home Hikari. // he sent, following his light's expectations and heading down   
to the kitchen. 

// Do you want an after school snack? // 

/ I'm not a child Yami, I don't need after school snacks. / 

// I didn't say if you _needed_ one hikari, I asked if you _wanted_ one. There's a big   
difference between the two you know. // 

He resolutely shoved the image of a chocolate covered Ryou with the word 'snack' hanging above his head.   
Why did he have to remember parts of that insane dream _now_? 

/ well… actually, I was wondering if you wanted to go out and eat with me instead? I   
mean, you don't have to if you don't want to of course, but I thought… / 

// Hm? What do you think Ryou? // 

/ I was thinking that it would be… nice. Ya know, nice to spend time with you, time that   
didn't involve a computer game, or father, or our other friends… / 

"You're other friends, Hikari, not mine," Bakura stated, rounding the corner to appear in   
front of his light. "And yes, it _would_ be nice to spend more time with you, just the   
two of us." 

"Really? You mean it Bakura?" 

Bakura smiled as his hikari looked at him with wide, hopeful eyes, and gave him a short   
hug. "Yes Ryou, I mean it. Now, where would you like to go?" 

Ryou took a deep breath and said, "Well, there's this little place that Yugi told me   
about…"  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = == = = = = = = = 

*** * Ryou's P.O.V. * ***

To say that I don't know why would be a lie. Of course I know, I'm not so deceptive to   
myself as to deny the truth. That is, after all, why Yugi and Malik both came to me   
for advice. I don't deny the truth about what I feel, and they know that I'll give them   
honest advice. 

Without any speeches, I might add. Otherwise, they could have always gone to Anzu. 

So of course I know why I dream about, some sweet and gentle, some very intimate   
dreams. I know why he's on my mind all the time now, why I feel like I'd do anything   
to get a smile from him. 

And I've noticed that he only smiles for me. 

A true, genuine smile, not the evil smirk he likes to give Yugi's yami. Only for me. I love   
every bit of attention he gives me, and I do try to spend the most amount of time with   
him that I can. 

I wonder how my friends would react if they knew? How would my father feel? 

Yugi and Malik know, of course. I told them how I felt about him, so they could be   
reassured in their own romances. But how would the others feel? I mean, he hasn't   
exactly been nice to any of them, but he hasn't been too hostile lately either. 

Would they accept my feelings? Would my father? 

Would they reject me? 

I can't help but notice that I really don't give a damn if they do or not, and my   
speculation is only idle. A real friend would support my feelings, after all. And I feel   
how I feel, and no one can change that. It's a moot point really, but not yet a dead   
issue… not until I find out how he feels. 

And I will find out. I've promised myself not to keep my feelings bottled up inside, that I   
would confess, and ask him how he feels. 

I wonder what I would do if he rejected me? But I don't think he will, since we often   
share our dreams. I wonder if he's realized yet that I've shared** those** dreams with   
him as well. But since I don't **know** how he feels, I'll assume that my mind is the   
originator of the dreams, and pray that they don't disgust him. 

I'll walk carefully, and delve slowly. Blurting my feelings might drive Bakura away.   
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = == = = = = = = = 

Crys: Hehehe! I've had writers block lately, and I was sick for a bit, and then my   
husband had to go out of town, but! He's back now, and my writing came back as   
well ^^ And Rakka took care of me while he was gone, Lalala. 

Rakka: She's like a little kid isn't she? But it's nice to see her so energetic again, and  
back to a normal sleeping pattern. 

Crys: Bakura's frustration at his online game was a mirror of mine. I've achieved lvl 10!   
Dieing is much more risky now! 

Rakka: Who can guess the game? Shouldn't be too hard…Err… a prize of some sort to   
the first person who guesses the game correctly. But what in the world could we give? 

Crys: the next chapter before it's posted? An event that they want to occur can be written   
into the story, or, like some people do, we'll write a story based on the winners   
request!   
One of the three. 

Rakka: Oh, alright, that sounds fair. But it might take a bit to write you know… you have   
that joint project with Callie/Mikey to work on, and the Malik/Marik fic underway. 

Crys: * waves hand * Yes yes, I know, but it won't be a problem. 

Rakka: Thanks for reading, and please review. 


	12. Chapter 12: Confessions

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Matantei Loki Ragnarok, to which there are a few somewhat obscure references. 

**Author's Note:**_ I apologize for not updating in… eight months!? Oh my… well, Rakka is no longer living   
next door to me, she moved home, and if I never have to see my brother-in-law again, it'll be too soon, however   
clichéd that sounds. In-laws can definitely drive a person insane. _

** Choice **

By: Crystalin Elf 

Chapter 12: Confessions 

"Hey, Ryou, Bakura!" 

The friendly voice calling out to them was unmistakable, and at the moment unwelcome. Anzu may have been one or Ryou's   
best friends, but that did **not** mean he wanted to run into her right now. Not when… 

"Hello Anzu," Ryou replied calmly, with only a hint of resignation at his friend's sudden appearance. "Terribly sorry, but we   
can't stay and chat, we've plans already." 

"Oh," Anzu said, startled. Ryou always had time for them… She glanced between hikari and yami, wondering if she could figure   
out what they were up to, and repressed a shudder. 

Bakura was glaring at her. 

She fidgeted a bit as she tried not to let her discomfort show. Ryou was being polite after all, even though Bakura was glaring at   
her... He wouldn't do anything with Ryou there beside him. 

She hoped. 

She took a deep breath, and continued along with her planned min-speech. "Today we're throwing a little party for Yami at the   
Prism Twilight Cafe, and we were wondering if you wanted to come join us." 

Even though 'we' meant just Anzu, who, with a lot of persistence and blackmail, had barely managed to persuade Jounouchi,   
Honda, Mai, and Shizuka to come to the café with her. Even Yugi had been reluctant to accept, while Kaiba and Mokuba   
had outright refused. 

Bakura definitely did not want to go to a party for the Pharaoh, even though he could sense that this 'Prism Twilight Cafe' had   
been his hikari's intended destination. "We have other plans for the day, mortal, so leave before you become to annoying." 

Not that she hadn't already reached the point where she was annoying, but he doubted that Ryou would let him do something to   
scare her away. To bad… looked like they'd just have to do something else to spend time together. 

He gave the Anzu no more time to try and convince them, or give his hikari time to change his mind and accept. He grabbed   
Ryou's arm firmly and dragged him away, carefully maneuvering into a cluster of other people walking about town,   
disappearing from Anzu's sight. 

Sometimes, he wished he were still evil.  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

*** Ryou's P.O.V. ***

_ Sometimes, I think fate is against me. _

Not often of course, but at times like this, when Anzu shows up unexpectedly with a way of ruining my plans for the   
afternoon. I want to go to the Prism Twilight cafe with just Bakura today, even though I know the place will be   
filled with different people. 

It's just… like I told him, I want to spend time with him alone, instead of time spent with him while all my other friends   
are around. I want the day to be just the two of us… 

Like a couple, I guess. Is that wrong? 

Of course, I also want to get him alone so I can confess to him, without anyone like Jou or Honda to make fun of me   
afterwards. I wonder if I'll get to do that? 

Probably. Bakura is watching out for me after all, and he's leading me through a rather large crowd of people. I doubt   
Anzu can see us now. At a time like this I can appreciate my yami's past as a tomb robber, because he certainly   
knows how to lose someone when he wants to. 

Now… wait, he's let go of my arm and… where'd he go? There are too many people about to see if he's gone into one   
of the stores… 

// I'm here, don't worry hikari, you didn't lose me. // 

Thank goodness… 

/ That's good, Bakura-kun. I was worried… / 

// I know, I know. Just wait a few more moments. // 

Suddenly he is **here** again, carrying a bag of… food? Yes, a bag of food. I wonder what he got? Not much   
time to wonder though, because he's holding my arm again, and guiding me somewhere. 

How long are we going to walk, I wonder. 

Not that I have long to wonder, because we've stopped again, in front of a small coffee shop called the   
'Midnight Cafe'. The door makes a jingling sound as he opens it and tugs me inside.   
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Bakura reached out and opened the door as gently as he could, trying to make the distinguishing noise of the bells tied to the   
door as quiet as possible. He didn't trust bells, not after that brown haired woman who always sounded like them had   
trapped him in a fortuneteller's tent. Oh, he didn't think that she had done so deliberately, as all her attention had been   
focused on a pink haired girl, but nevertheless, it had been an unnerving experience. Mortals weren't supposed to be able   
to **_do_** things like that anymore… 

Resolutely he shook the memory away, and glanced about the coffee house with mild interest. The owner had come back a few   
weeks ago after traveling abroad, and the taste was better than that of the name brand chain across the road. 

And no one in their group of friends drank coffee, except for Ryou and Kaiba. 

With a smug smile of satisfaction he let go of Ryou's arm, and motioned for his hikari to follow him to his favorite table. Not that   
Ryou knew he'd ever come here, or that he even **_had_** a favorite place to hang out when he got tired of online games. 

As he sat down, Bakura set the bag of snacks down by the window, not taking anything out as Ryou slid into the seat across   
from him. The owner's cakes and coffee were good enough, even if you had to wait a bit on the coffee, since the owner   
brewed each persons order individually. 

"Hey, Narugami! Double my regular order, ok? And make them separate, I brought a friend!" he called out, not bothering to   
look around for 'Narugami'. He new the guy would be in the bathroom, cleaning up as he always seemed to. _I could   
almost feel sorry for him… he goes through more part-time jobs than anyone else I or Ryou knows._

"Alright, alright! But you'll have to wait a bit on the coffee, the Master is out at the moment." 

A few moments later a tall, brown haired guy appeared, a wooden sword tucked under his arm as he laid to pieces of cake   
down on the table next to Bakura. "Here you go, and yes Bakura, I washed my hands. Don't cause trouble." 

Bakura snorted softly, "of course I won't. Now go away." 

"Fine, fine." 

As Narugami left, Bakura slid a piece of the cake over to Ryou. "Here hikari, I promise it's good. And not poisoned, the sword   
carrying weirdo is a good cook." 

Ryou accepted the proffered cake with a shy smile, and quietly took a bite. It really was good, he noted absently as he watched   
his yami dig around in the bad of snacks he'd bought. After a few moments, he accepted the water bottle that Bakura   
passed to him. 

"This is a nice place, Bakura," he said softly, looking around slowly. Did the own have**_ any_** cups that were the   
same? Everyone he could see in the cabinet looked different. 

"I'm glad you like it hikari. I've been meaning to bring you here… it just reopened recently. And… you wanted to go to the   
Prism Twilight Café, didn't you? Don't worry, we can go some other time, when Anzu isn't planning any surprises." 

He was rewarded with a grateful smile from his hikari, and felt immensely pleased with himself. It wasn't too often that **_  
he_** could do something nice for Ryou, as nice was still a new facet to his personality. Or Ryou's kind of 'nice', anyway… 

They sat in companionable silence while they finished their cake.   
= = = = = = = 

Ryou stirred his coffee absently, staring down into the dark brown swirls he'd created before lifting the cup to his lips and taking   
a sip. He smiled slightly… the stuff really was good, not at all bitter like he'd been expecting. He nodded to owner in   
thanks before gazing back down at the table. They'd already been here for a half hour, far longer than he'd expected Bakura to   
stay in a place. 

But his yami seemed perfectly comfortable here. 

That in itself was a bit unusual, not that he minded. There had to be **_some_** place his yami felt comfortable, he   
just never thought a coffee house would be that place. He smiled a bit, amused with himself. His yami could be   
comfortable where ever he wanted, and Ryou wouldn't mind. 

He loved Bakura, after all. 

Now if he could just tell Bakura how he felt… and he was still debating if should tell the former tomb robber how he felt about   
him mind-to-mind, or out loud. He didn't know how Bakura would react… 

Ryou hoped the answer would be positive, because it was obvious now that Bakura cared about him, but to what extent? He   
wouldn't know unless he asked… but he didn't get the chance to ask. 

"Ryou, I brought you here for a reason, besides just wanting to spend time with you," Bakura said softly, interrupting the   
downward spiral of Ryou's thoughts. He smiled slightly as Ryou looked at him again, clearly startled. Had they been thinking   
similar thoughts? He wondered. 

He paused for a moment before continuing. "You've put up with me when I was at my vary worst, hikari. You've cared for me   
and been my friend when no one else would have and I… I really appreciate that. More than I can say, really… And I   
care about you more than I have ever cared about anyone. More than I ever **_will_** care about anyone else." 

He took another deep breath, trying to still his annoyance with himself for being so long winded and sentimental, and blinking   
away tears he hadn't expected to have hanging in his eyes. 

"Ryou…" 

Bakura reached out and placed his hands over his hikari's, willing himself to continue. The former tomb robber refused to let his   
courage desert him now. He continued on, his voice almost inaudible. 

"Ryou, I love… no, I'm _**in**_ love with you…" 

He trailed off and dropped his gaze to the table, a very faint blush creeping along his cheeks. And… did those tears really have   
the nerve to slide down his cheeks? He might have been furious with himself, if he wasn't feeling so anxious.  
= = = = 

For a moment, all Ryou could do was stare at his yami. Had he actually heard right? Bakura was in love with him? Then he   
smiled. This wouldn't be so hard after all. He tugged one of his hands out from beneath Bakura's, and reached forward to   
wipe away the tears that were trailing their way down his cheeks._ And I thought I would be the one crying…_ for   
a moment he felt odd, conscious that he had expected their roles to be reversed. 

But his yami was still crying, and still staring at the table, and he could now **_feel_** his yami's love flowing down   
their mind-link… in this at least, there could be no doubt. 

"I love, and am **_in_** love, with you too, Bakura."   
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Ok folks, that's all for this chapter. I might write an epilog, and I may not. I could just leave the rest of the details of their   
happily ever after, or not, to your imagination. I know you all must have one. 

Thanks for reading! 


	13. Chapter 13: Epilog

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Matantei Loki Ragnarok, or DNAngel (only small references to the last two.) 

**Authors Note:** _Well, here is the epilog I was asked for ^_^ Thanks for continuing to read!_

/… / Hikari to yami; // … // yami to hikari 

** Choice **

By: Crystalin Elf 

Chapter 13: Epilog 

"It's not fair! I'm the only person, out of all our friends, that hasn't got a boyfriend!" 

"You're exaggerating Anzu. Mai and Shizuka aren't seeing anyone either," commented Bakura. The yami was smirking at the   
woman's distress, arms planted firmly around his hikari's waist, holding the slightly smaller man against his chest. He found   
watching Anzu's occasional temper tantrums to be extremely amusing, even though he didn't really _mean_ to flaunt   
his own wonderful relationship in her face. 

He'd never use Ryou like that, after all. 

"Anzu, why are you so upset? The last time you had a boyfriend, you broke up with him, saying he took too much time away   
from your dancing." 

Anzu dropped down into her seat with a sigh, bowing under the truth of Ryou's words. "I know, I know, you're right of course.   
A guy would only get in the way of my dreams. Still… finding Mr. Right _was_ always a part of those dreams…" 

_// Now, just where is the Pharaoh and his Light when she's having these outbursts? We're not the best to make her feel better. // _

/ They're on a date yami, and Honda, Jou, Seto and Mokuba were supposed to be here with us. As to where they are? I   
haven't a clue. But look! She's spacing out, so does it really matter? / 

Bakura shook his head slightly, he was definitely a bad influence on his hikari… three years ago when they first admitted their   
love to each other, and Ryou would have tried to cheer Anzu up, rather than be glad she was zoning out. 

_ // Now Hikari, you know that's not nice. If I had noted that first, you might have gotten upset. // _

/ well… she knows she can't have everything… you just can't practice dance as much as she does, and still have time   
for sleep, food, and a relationship outside of her friends. Should we leave her here? / 

// Hikari! // 

Bakura laughed softly, despite his protest. Even now, years later, he still only wanted to spend time with Ryou. 

The soft laughter was enough to make Anzu focus on them again, this time with a slight smile of her own. "Yeah, you guys are   
right. I don't need a guy, I do just fine on my own! After all, I have all my friends to support me! Thanks you guys." 

She jumped out of her seat and quickly hugged Ryou, and Bakura, before either could tell her not to, and bounded out of the room. 

After a few moments of silence Ryou spoke. 

"Well… that was unexpected." 

Then… 

"So… what do you want to do today?"  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Eventually, the couple had 'ended up' in the coffee shop where they had confessed their love to one another, exactly three years   
ago. Ryou smiled as he noted that place looked exactly the same now as it had that day. 

_'This place has such a nice atmosphere,'_ Ryou thought, as he relaxed into his seat. The place was still quiet, still had a fairly   
dim but inviting air too it, and still had Narugami-kun working here. He sipped slowly at the coffee that had been placed   
immediately in front of him, which had told him that Bakura had planned their coming here in advance. 

"You know," he murmured quietly, "I'm glad none of the others has developed a taste for coffee. I like that we're the only   
people we know who come here." 

Bakura nodded in agreement. "Aa, it is nice. Kaiba has his own favorite place, and the rest favor other drinks. Still, if we   
brought them here, they'd come back for the cake if nothing else." 

They slipped back into a comfortable silence, content to simply be here with each other. They didn't often get to spend   
afternoons together, without their group of friends being somewhere close by. Bakura treasured these moments the most…  


Ryou sipped his coffee thoughtfully, mind drifting between the past and the future. Where would be and Bakura be headed in   
their relationship? Was there any point in worrying about it? He wondered. You couldn't really get much closer than the   
two already were, as hikari and yami as well as lovers. Things seemed perfect… but with some of the events of their past,   
he didn't usually trust perfection. 

_ / Ne, Bakura… do you believe in happily every after? / _

// Happily ever after? Only fairytales have such things Hikari. Life is never that simple. But… I suppose it should be   
possible to have a **mostly** happily ever after… // 

He nodded, accepting the spirit's answer. 

Bakura watched his hikari and wondered why he had asked such a question. Ryou didn't seem to believe in a happily ever after   
either, so why had he asked about such a thing? The 'ever after' part wasn't something he wanted to think about too   
closely… after all, when Ryou died, Bakura would go back into the Ring wouldn't he? 

He didn't want to contemplate a future without his beloved light. 

Once Bakura had finished with his coffee, he pulled two small golden objects from his pocket; one was a shaped like a heart,   
and the other a mix of key and arrow. Both dangled, flashing in the pale light of the coffee shop, from thin golden chains.   
They had a faint magical feel to them, which he had expected, since Skuld had given them to him. 

He wondered if should really trust the Norn… 

"What are those, Bakura?" 

He held the pendants out to his hikari for inspection before answering. "Supposedly, magical pendants. I was told that with   
them, our love would last an eternity." 

Ryou examined them closely, and giggled at his darker half's explanation. 

"It's a bit unlike you to get something like this," he replied with a please smile. 

"I know, but I though you'd like it…" Bakura murmured, with a slight smile of his own. 

"Are you sure you could put up with for eternity?" Ryou asked teasingly. "I might bore you." 

"Oh, you could never bore me koi. I really want an eternity with you. As much of one as is possible, anyway…" Bakura   
answered, "but are you sure that _I_ wouldn't end up boring _you_?" 

"Of course! Things are always interesting with you around, whether we want them to be or not!" Ryou remarked, recalling   
certain events in the past year with a smile. "I love every single second I spend with you Bakura. I love you, and I never ever   
want to be without you in my life." 

"And I don't want to be without you, Ryou." 

He plucked the arrow like pendent from his Light's hands and put it around his neck. With another smile, Ryou placed the heart   
one around his own neck, and then looked expectantly at Bakura. 

"Hold your pendant forward Ryou, and I'm supposed to put mine through yours." 

Ryou did as told, and watched expectantly and Bakura leaned forward and slid the arrow pendant through the heart pendant.   
The two seemed to glow for a moment, then Bakura removed his pendant from Ryou's and sat back down in his seat. 

"Do you think that did anything Bakura?" 

"Probably not, but it's the thought that counts, right? A nice symbol of our love for each other. Because you know, I refuse to   
wear a sentimental ring." 

Ryou laughed softly. "Hai hai, I know that. This is just fine, and suits you more. It's appropriate that your jewelry items be weapon like." 

Bakura sighed, then smiled at Ryou. _Seems like he's glowing… so it looks like the magic worked, but I bet no one else will notice._

"Of course Hikari. I can't change_ that_ much after all." 

"I love you Bakura." 

"I know. I love you too Ryou." 

"Forever?" 

"Aa, Forever." 

After all, Fate had handed them forever. 

~ F I N ~

  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Crystalin Elf: Ok… so that probably sucked, but I liked it! A kind of open ending, so they live happily ever after depending on   
the readers mood :P Thank you so much for reading, and I hoped to enjoyed this. 

On a side note, the 'Skuld' in this is from Matantei Loki Ragnarok, and is one of the three Norns, the norse goddess' of Fate. 


End file.
